RDA 5/20

The City of Watertown held an RDA (Redevelopment Authority) meeting on May 20, 2026, focusing primarily on economic development initiatives and infrastructure projects. Key procurement-related discussions included the approval of a $10,000 grant application for a community pop-up event aimed at promoting local businesses. The board reviewed priorities such as the Main Street reconstruction and riverwalk engineering design, with the latter estimated at $4.8 million for 600 feet of riverwalk, highlighting significant cost and funding challenges. The group discussed potential grant opportunities to offset design and construction costs, including DNR funds for shore stabilization. Additionally, the meeting addressed the underutilization of the revolving loan fund for business improvements and explored creating a more streamlined process for business permitting and licensing to ease doing business in Watertown. The board encouraged members to engage in follow-up work on these priorities and emphasized the importance of positive community messaging to support economic growth. No formal votes on large contracts were recorded beyond the grant approval, but several action items related to funding research and process improvements were identified.