Business View Civil and Municipal | Volume 2, Issue 9

89 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 2, ISSUE 9 public sector. Many of the companies housed on the 459-acres of the I-43 Industrial Area use the broadband service. Although the park is full, the city has already purchased another 90 acres along the Interstate for expansion. Currently, the community’s top priority is ensuring workforce training is readily available. This is done through Lakeshore Technical College and the businesses working directly with the Manitowoc Public School District high schools. “We have an excellent workforce, but that workforce is fairly tapped out,” admits Tegen. “We’re beginning to see wages rise, because companies are realizing they have to be more competitive to keep the good workers. Overall, it’s good, but we’d like to see an influx of new talent.” The community would also like to see more green initiatives. Just north of the city is the 150-megawatt Two Creeks Solar Farm, jointly owned by Wisconsin Public Service Corporation MANI TOWOC , WI SCONS IN and Madison Gas and Electric. Manitowoc Public Utilities (MPU) is currently looking at smaller scale projects to offset its portfolio. The city does have several electric vehicle (EV) chargers. “We have one by our visitor center and we just installed another in our downtown with plans on doing more,” says Mayor Nickels. “MPU is purchasing those and moving forward with it. We also want to start transitioning our city fleet to either hybrid or electric vehicles, but that won’t happen overnight.” With Manitowoc’s proximity to Lake Michigan, maintaining marine sustainability is vital. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is very proactive, especially regarding stormwater Management Ponds (SWMPs) and soil erosion control. Another big step towards sustainability is the recent establishment of the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary. “We’ve been working on it for years behind the scenes and it just went through Congress for final approval,” says Nickels. “There are only Courtesy of MAVCB