A giant pile of snow currently occupies the former Lullabye site. (City-Times photo)

By Patrick Lynn

The Stevens Point Finance Committee tonight will consider approving $56K in city funding for environmental remediation of the former Lullabye property.

The site, located at 1017 Third Street, has been an eyesore for city leaders who have been unable to sell the property, largely in part due to site contamination from the factory that once stood there.

Community Development Director Michael Ostrowski said the city has applied for $200,000 from the Wisconsin Ready to Reuse Grant Program for the cleanup, and if the full amount is granted, the city would be responsible for 22 percent of the total projected cost of $256,410. Transferring the funds to the city’s new Redevelopment Authority requires approval from the city’s Finance Committee.

Ostrowski said in a memo the site hasn’t been eligible for the grant in the past because it did not meet certain liability requirements. He said those requirements will be met once the property deed has been transferred to the Redevelopment Authority, rather than held by the city.

Ready for Reuse is a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) program that offers grant and loans to local governments and non-profits to help clean up environmental contamination at brownfields.

The DNR leads this effort through the Wisconsin Brownfields Coalition (WBC), a partnership involving the Department of Commerce and several of Wisconsin’s Regional Planning Commissions. The WBC receives funding for this program through U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Revolving Loan Fund grants.

The Finance Committee meets 6 PM Monday at the Lincoln Center, 1519 Water Street. The public is welcome.