MILLTOWN - Terry Hauer, executive director of the Polk County Economic Development Corporation (pictured), is thrilled to announce that Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation will be releasing $232,360 to the village of Milltown. This money will be used to expand into a new industrial park.
The project builds two roadways that establish a new industrial park and create sites for business expansion. RockShield Rubber Company, a manufacturer based in Milltown since 2015, is outgrowing its current site and will construct a new $4 million, 42,000-square-foot facility at the industrial park. “The improvement and expansion of the infrastructure surrounding the new Milltown Industrial Park will allow us to nearly double the footprint we have now. It will also guarantee room for future expansion as our young company continues to grow, which will result in more job creation for this rural area of Wisconsin. Because of the support we’ve received, we plan to stay in Milltown for a very long time,” said Gabe Feuerhelm, president of RockShield Rubber Company.
Evers had this to say about the plan, “This is an exciting project in Northwestern Wisconsin that will create new jobs and establish a new industrial park for future expansion. By working closely with our local partners and communities, we’re ensuring our infrastructure is ready for the 21st century, helping to move our economy and our state forward.” Since 2019, the Evers administration has awarded more than $10.1 million in grants, contributing to an estimated more than 1,900 new jobs.
Milltown Village President LuAnn White added, “We try very hard to make our community a great place to live and work. Thanks to this grant, we are able to acquire another new business and possibly one more.” White was very happy and appreciative of the assistance that the PCEDC had given the village.
The PCEDC was formed in 2004 by the Polk County Board, beginning with a committee of business and municipal leaders to evaluate the merits of such an effort. The benefits of putting together this committee included technical expertise, easier measurability, goal setting, monitoring and continuity for the betterment of the entire county. The corporation receives it funding as follows, one-third from Polk County, one-third from the municipalities and one-third from business memberships.
