By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
Efforts to promote the deep history of Whitewater’s downtown business district will continue into the foreseeable future.
Members of the Downtown Whitewater Inc. organization have announced an intention to renew an existing agreement with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation for the Main Street program.
Communities or organizations participating in Main Street are privy to a range of services, including marketing, business recruitment and retention, real estate development, market analysis and public improvements.
While it does not have an official say in the arrangement, the Common Council on July 7 did weigh in on the renewal. Officials formally endorsed the continued relationship.
“Each year, the City of Whitewater endorses the agreement, though it is not binding … in any way,” City Manager Cameron Clapper said.
In other recent business, the Common Council:
- Formally adopted, on a second reading, an ordinance stipulating a range of property owners purchase equipment aimed at giving Whitewater firefighters immediate access to a building if an alarm is sounded.
Last month, the council held an initial reading of the ordinance, which requires nearly all property owners, other than single-family residences, purchase the lock boxes at a cost of about $250.
A representative from each building will need to purchase the lock box kit from a company known as Knox by early January.
- Renewed an agreement with the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater for software at the jointly operated communication dispatch center.
As part of the agreement, the city chips in two-thirds to operate the center, while UW-Whitewater contributions the remaining third.
