Section 60.04. Financial assistance for feasibility study.

 

(1)   Application for financial assistance. Districts must file application for financial assistance for a feasibility study by March 15. The application must be on forms provided by the department. Completed applications shall be mailed to the Office of Inland Lake Renewal, Department of Natural Resources, Box 7921, Madison, Wisconsin 53707.

(2)   Department action on application.

(a) The department shall notify the district of its decision to grant or deny aid for feasibility study by April 1. Priority for and amount of aid granted will be determined in accordance with the procedure in sub. (3) . If aid is denied, the department shall indicate in writing the reasons for denial.

(b) A district requesting financial assistance shall accept or reject a grant offer within 30 days after being notified of the offer by the department.

(3)   Priority and amount of grant. The priority for receiving assistance, and the amount of assistance, for feasibility studies covered by these rules shall be determined according to the following provisions:

(a) Priority. Any district may apply for financial assistance to undertake a feasibility study of a public inland lake wholly or partly within its boundaries. When financial assistance applications exceed funds available, applications will be ranked by the department based on adequacy of public access, including public lands and beaches; potential nonriparian use; degree of local commitment, and other factors considered relevant by the department. Feasibility study grants will be made in the order of ranking and the number will be limited by the funds available.

(b) Grant amount. Grant awards made under this section will be on a 60% state-40% local cost-sharing basis. The grant award shall be based on the lowest bid received, unless the district disqualifies such bidder(s) as being not responsive or responsible and so notifies the department. The department may require proof that annual meeting approval has been obtained whenever the district's share of a feasibility study cost, exclusive of nonmonetary contributions, will exceed $5,000.

(c) Nonmonetary contributions. The district may apply nonmonetary contributions toward its share of study costs. To qualify for such credit, the district must provide the department with a copy of the contract with the successful bidder specifying the nonmonetary value of the contributions and the work to be performed, and properly account for such contributions pursuant to s. NR 60.11 (4) (b) .

(4)   Grant agreement. The grant agreement shall contain the following provisions:

(a) Distribution of the aid shall be made in 4 installments. An initial installment of 10% of the grant offer shall be paid into a fund established by the district within 20 days after completion of a grant agreement. Payments representing 20% of the grant offer shall be made after receipt and approval by the department of each of the first 2 quarterly reports. The remainder of the grant will be paid after receipt and approval of the final feasibility study report required by s. NR 60.03 (4) (d) and any required audits.

(b) A starting date and schedule for completion of the study will be specified by the department. Changes in these dates must be approved by the department.

(c) Every grant awarded under this section shall contain a provision that the recipient in using the funds shall not discriminate against any person because of religion, sex, race, color or national origin.

(5)   Termination of the grant. A grant may be terminated by the department for any of the following reasons:

(a) The violation of any term or condition of the grant agreement by the grantee, or;

(b) The willful or bad faith refusal of any grantee to comply with the feasibility study requirements specified by the department, or;

(c) Any material misrepresentation made by the recipient on the application for financial assistance or the application for technical assistance required by s. NR 60.03 (2) .

History: Cr. Register, February, 1979, No. 278 , eff. 3-1-79.