Business

County Board ready to vote on La Crosse Center gift

Published

5 years ago

August 14, 2019

Onalaska leaders are unhappy with La Crosse and decided they are not going to donate money to the La Crosse Center.

Will the La Crosse County board take the same position Thursday night?

County supervisors will vote on a plan to donate $138,000 to the civic center, instead of committing to a funding arrangement the city wanted, which was $2 million over a 20-year period.

There’s been talk of the county being guaranteed a seat on the center board before giving any money.

Center board president Brent Smith said his fellow board members seem willing to consider the idea.

The center board has nine members now, and one seat traditionally is set aside for a La Crosse city council member.

The Onalaska city council turned down a similar funding request this week.

Officials with both the county and Onalaska have complained that the city of La Crosse wanted money without giving the other governments a say in center business.

Related Topics:Brent Smith La Crosse Center la crosse county board

Brad Williams

A native of Prairie du Chien, Brad graduated from UW - La Crosse and has worked in radio news for more than 30 years, mostly in the La Crosse area. He regularly covers local courts and city and county government. Brad produces the features "Yesterday in La Crosse" and "What's Buried on Brad's Desk." He also writes the website "Triviazoids," which finds odd connections between events that happen on a certain date, and he writes and performs with the local comedy group Heart of La Crosse. Brad been featured on several national TV programs because of his memory skills.