Feb. 27, 2027
VIROQUA, Wis. – Vernon County is looking to pay out of state workers to pack their bags and move to the Driftless Region. Community Development Director Amy Oliver told the Economic Development Committee on January 8 that the state recently opened a 5 million dollar grant program to attract workers to Wisconsin.
“The state of Wisconsin is trying to recruit people from out of state to move here into the state,” said Oliver. “And so they have released this grant opportunity for municipalities.”
Oliver noted the program would target the primary workforce age of 25 to 54 who earn an individual income of at least $55,000 and currently reside outside of Wisconsin.
“They have to have an individual income of $55,000 or more,” said Oliver. “They would have to prove that they currently reside out of state when they move to Vernon County.”
Oliver detailed a plan to offer home buyers up to $12,500 for a down payment while renters would receive $2,500 to help with upfront leasing costs.
“We would help either with down payment requirements,” said Oliver. “And those renting we would help by incentivizing them for $2,500 to help with security deposit first month rent.”
During the initial discussions Oliver presented an option to hire a national company called Make My Move to run the program but noted their administrative fees were exceptionally high.
“They’re recommending we apply for a grant of $272,275,” said Oliver. “$177,275 would go to them for managing this program for us.”
Committee members balked at giving away a majority of the grant money to an outside firm and supported Oliver’s recommendation to administer the program locally through her department.
“I just think it’s ridiculous to give that much money away to make a move,” said Supervisor John Pedretti. “It’s not like you can’t call them and say hey what’s up with this.”
Oliver explained that by running the program internally the county could ask for a smaller grant of $150,000 to serve as a pilot project aiming to bring in between 10 and 50 people over two years.
“If we got 10 people to move here based on their average household income of $100,000 you would generate $726,000 in new economic output,” said Oliver. “And then $92,000 in state and local taxes.”
Administrative Coordinator Cassandra Hanan pointed out that administering the program locally would perfectly complement the county’s upcoming community rebranding campaign.
“We are going to be launching our rebrand this spring,” said Hanan. “We will be working with our larger employers on that as well and they can use that as a recruitment tool and so this ties right in with that.”
The proposal then moved to the January 20 Finance Committee meeting where Oliver requested $30,000 from the county Ho Chunk grant match fund to cover the required 20 percent local match.
“There’s a 20 percent match requirement,” said Oliver. “So $30,000 is what I’m requesting from the grant match support program.”
Pedretti urged the Finance Committee to support the funding noting that the Economic Development Committee unanimously backed the homegrown approach to maximize the benefit for new residents.
“She is going to do it herself,” said Pedretti. “So all that money could go to our people.”
The Finance Committee unanimously approved the matching funds and the proposal and was discussed further at the January County Board of Supervisors meeting.
Oliver said the proposed Driftless Bound relocation incentive program would use a state Talent Recruitment grant to help out of state residents cover the steep upfront costs of moving here.
“We would establish a cash incentive for both renters and homeowners, which would help remove some common relocation barriers they might have, such as security deposit first month rent down payment requirements,” said Oliver. “Overall this will help Vernon County meet goals that we have in our newly adopted housing study along with our economic development strategy and our comprehensive plan.”
Oliver explained that the county is seeking one hundred fifty thousand dollars from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. About one hundred twenty five thousand dollars would go directly to relocation incentives with the remaining money set aside for promotion administration and background checks.
“If awarded we would allocate one hundred twenty five thousand dollars to implement Driftless Bound a relocation incentive program to help recruit new residents from out of the state to come to Vernon County,” said Oliver. “The remaining would go towards marketing and promotion of the program reimbursing the county for my time and the cost of background checks.”
She told supervisors the county’s required twenty percent match would come from the existing Vernon County grant match support program funded with Ho Chunk dollars.
“There is a twenty percent match that would be thirty thousand dollars that would come from the Vernon County grant match support program,” said Oliver. “Most of the grants I manage will reimburse a certain portion of my salary which helps offset the tax levy needed for my position.”
Supervisors pressed Oliver on who would qualify for the aid and whether the program would reach the kinds of workers local employers are desperate to find. State rules require that participants currently live outside Wisconsin and meet a minimum income test.
“The state requires that they when they apply for the incentive program must currently be living out of state,” said Oliver. “They have to have an individual income of fifty five thousand dollars or higher and we are targeting our primary workforce age of twenty five to fifty four.”
Oliver said renters would be eligible for twenty five hundred dollars to help with deposits and first month rent. Homebuyers could receive five percent of their required down payment up to twelve thousand five hundred dollars with a portion forgiven if they stay in the home long enough.
“For renters it would be two thousand five hundred dollars to help with the security deposit and first month rent,” said Oliver. “For homeowners they would get five percent of the required down payment up to twelve thousand five hundred dollars with the first twenty five hundred forgiven and a requirement that they live in the home for two years or repay a portion if they sell early.”
Supervisor Wayde Lawler asked how much of the grant would truly reach families in the form of housing help rather than administration.
“If I heard correctly you said one hundred twenty five thousand dollars would be allocated for the cash incentives for renters and homeowners,” said Lawler. “What is happening with the remaining twenty five thousand dollars that we are applying for.”
Oliver replied that the smaller balance would cover marketing her staff time and required screening costs over a two to three year period.
“A portion of the twenty five thousand dollars would go to marketing and promotion of the program and they will reimburse the county for my time to administer it,” said Oliver. “The cost of background checks would also come from that depending on which avenue we use.”
A tool for big employers and small businesses
Some supervisors framed the proposal as a powerful recruiting tool for large institutions such as hospitals and school districts that already bring in workers from other states.
“This is going to be a really great recruitment tool for our employers and I already have probably ten letters of support from employers school districts realtors and regional partners,” said Oliver. “The promotion of this program is just going to naturally happen because we have such strong relationships with business owners and community leaders.”
Supervisor Mary Henry said she could already think of examples of professionals who recently moved to the area and would have fit the grant target.
“I am thinking of this last year and the new district administrator here in town came from North Dakota and our financial manager came from Texas,” said Henry. “This is a big deal for employers so it is nothing but positive.”
But Supervisor Alycann Taylor, a small business owner, warned that the program should not end up favoring only large employers. She said trades and smaller shops also struggle to attract skilled workers.
“I totally hear that but as a small business owner, do not cut us out of this because some of us have a hard time finding mechanics and higher skilled individuals,” said Taylor. “I just do not want it all to go toward the big hitters because this would really help us be able to attract people to move here.”
Oliver answered that while bigger employers may be early partners the intent is for the program to be countywide and employer neutral.
“We will be promoting it within the county but more of that promotion is probably going to happen with our larger employers,” said Oliver. “At the same time this will be available as a recruitment tool for any employer that has out of state candidates who meet the requirements.”
Concerns about fairness and who gets left out
Board members also wrestled with who might still fall through the cracks even with a new tool in place. Several pointed to young teachers who often earn less than the state income threshold and already struggle to qualify for existing housing assistance.
“Basically the first people that would be kicked out of the program would be incoming teachers because none of them make fifty five thousand dollars as a starting salary,” said Supervisor David Strudthoff. “That is just one profession that may not even be in the ballpark here even though our small communities are begging to get people to teach and live there.”
Henry said early career professionals often earn too much for traditional aid but not enough to easily buy a home or qualify for new units.
“Oddly enough a young teacher starting out does not qualify for anything because they make too much for housing assistance and still would not qualify for this,” said Henry. “They are paying back student loans and they sit over one threshold and under another while trying to find a place to live.”
Oliver said she is seeking clarification from the state on whether the fifty five thousand dollar figure applies to individual income or total household income and she suggested that detail could significantly widen eligibility.
“When I met with WEDC I asked whether that meant individual income of fifty five thousand or household income and they told me yes a couple with thirty five thousand each would be eligible,” said Oliver. “I do want to get written clarification on that before I submit the application and implement the program.”
Supervisor Wayde Lawler reminded the board that the income rules are set in Madison not by the county and urged supervisors to see the program as one piece of a broader housing strategy.
“I just again want to point out that that is a state mandate not something we have control over and this is an opportunity to address a portion of what we are trying to accomplish,” said Lawler. “This is adding a tool to the toolkit and if we do not have it we do not get any of the benefit.”
Veterans and remote workers as targets
Supporters said the program could dovetail with other county strengths including its veteran services and its broadband buildout both of which already draw interest from outside the area.
“Because of the great services that we are providing our veterans there are a number of veterans from out of state calling us for help and thinking about moving to Vernon County,” said Strudthoff. “It is just another avenue of people that may be looking at this program also as long as they meet the age requirements.”
Oliver told the board that Vernon County’s quality of life and high speed internet make it an attractive base for remote workers whose employers may be located elsewhere.
“I think with our wonderful broadband infrastructure this is going to be appealing to those remote workers who can work anywhere but may love the quality of life that Vernon County has to offer,” said Oliver. “They may move here and work remotely while another household member contributes to the local workforce.”
She added that the timing lines up with new housing projects in several communities and with the county’s upcoming rebranding effort.
“This grant opportunity is coming at a perfect time with new housing units being constructed in Westby, Ontario and Viroqua,” said Oliver. “With the launch of our county rebrand the messaging is really going to fall in line with recruiting visitors new residents workforce and business investment to Vernon County.”
Guardrails and worries about gaming the system
Board Chair Lorn Goede backed the proposal but wondered aloud whether residents who already planned to move home might simply use the county money as a bonus.
“I do see this as a really good thing but I also see it as an opportunity for people that were moving back to Vernon County anyway and maybe spent twenty years in the military,” said Goede. “I do not want to call it fraud but it is taking advantage of something that is meant for other people.”
Oliver acknowledged that some returnees could qualify in the short term and said the first years would serve as a pilot that could inform tighter rules later.
“I do think that there are people out there right now who already know they are moving back to Vernon County and would take advantage of this incentive,” said Oliver. “For this first year pilot program we will be able to gauge how often that happens and then come back to the Economic Development Committee and the board with recommended changes.”
Strudthoff suggested that the application process itself could help sort out who benefits if demand exceeds the number of incentives available.
“If we get fifteen or twenty applicants for ten incentives we might build in criteria that addresses some of these concerns,” said Strudthoff. “Even so we have to balance that with not making people wait six months while we see if anyone else applies.”
Board leans on Oliver’s track record and votes yes
Several supervisors said Oliver’s willingness to administer the program in house gave Vernon County a competitive edge and ensured more money would go directly to families instead of consultants.
“Most of the counties that are doing this are actually paying a company that takes almost sixty five or seventy percent of that money to administer it,” said Supervisor John Pedretti. “Amy is going to do this for us so we can actually get more bang for our buck for people that are moving here.”
Henry closed the board discussion by praising Oliver’s broader economic development work and urging colleagues to seize the opportunity.
“Amy, I would just like to say thank you because I feel you do such a terrific job at your position and what you bring and you are worth your weight in gold,” said Henry. “This is a big deal for employers so it is nothing but positive.”
To proposal passed unanimously.
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