1. (1) General. From the appropriation under s. 20.115 (7) (d), Stats., the department may award grants to county drainage boards to help those boards comply with ch. 88, Stats., and this chapter. The department shall award grants in each state fiscal year, subject to available funding. A grant may reimburse a county drainage board for up to 60 percent of the drainage board’s costs to do any of the following:

   1. (a) Develop and adopt drainage district specifications required under s. ATCP 48.20.
   2. (b) Reassess benefits in a drainage district. The reassessment shall comply with ss. ATCP 48.02 to 48.10.

   3. (c) Develop and adopt drainage district maintenance plans under s. ATCP 48.22.

      Note: A grant under par. (c) may be used only for maintenance plans, not actual maintenance costs.

   4. (d) Other eligible projects that the department identifies in its annual request for grant proposals under sub. (2).

   Note: Section 20.115 (7) (d), Stats., was repealed by 2007 Wis. Act 20, and any future grants are contingent on a new appropriation.

2. (2) Annual request for grant proposals. Before the department awards any grant under sub. (1) in any state fiscal year, the department shall publish an annual request for grant proposals and shall provide a copy to every county drainage board. The annual request for grant proposals shall include all the following:

   1. (a) The amount of grant funds available for distribution in that state fiscal year ending June 30.
   2. (b) Eligible project categories under sub. (1).
   3. (c) The department’s grant priorities, if any.

   4. (d) The method that the department will use to allocate funds between competing grant proposals of equal priority, if it cannot fully fund all of those proposals.

      Note: For example, the department may fund equally rated grant proposals on a “first come, first served” basis.

   5. (e) General grant terms and conditions that may affect grant applications.
   6. (f) Grant application procedures.
   7. (g) A grant application deadline.

   8. (h) A grant application form.

      Note: Copies of a grant application form may be obtained from the department at its offices at 2811 Agriculture Drive, Post Office Box 8911, Madison, WI 53708-8911.

3. (3) Grant applications. A county drainage board may apply for a grant under sub. (1). The county drainage board shall make the grant application on a form that the department provides under sub. (2) (h). The grant application shall be broken down by drainage district, and shall include all the following:

   1. (a) A description of each drainage district project for which the county drainage board seeks a grant.
   2. (b) The estimated cost of the project.
   3. (c) The county drainage board’s plan for financing the project.

   4. (d) Competitive bidding or other procedures that the county drainage board will use to control project costs.

      Note: A county drainage board is not required to select the low bidder for a funded project. But the department may make its grant award and payments based on the low bid cost.

   5. (e) Other information required by the department.
4. (4) Grant awards. Within 90 days after the grant application deadline under sub. (2) (g), the department shall make its grant awards. The department shall give notice of its awards to all county drainage boards that applied for grants.
5. (5) Grant contracts. Before the department pays any grant funds to a county drainage board, the department shall enter into a grant contract with that county drainage board. The contract shall specify the time period and other terms and conditions of the grant. The department shall make grant payments according to sub. (6) and the grant contract.

6. (6) Grant payments.

   1. (a) The department shall make grant payments after the county drainage board completes the funded project and pays its share of the project costs. The department may not pay for any project cost incurred after the end of the grant period specified in the grant contract.

   2. (b) The county drainage board shall submit a payment request on a form provided by the department. In its request, the county drainage board shall document that it has completed the project and paid its share of the project costs.

      Note: Copies of a payment request form may be obtained from the department at its offices at 2811 Agriculture Drive, Post Office Box 8911, Madison, WI 53708-8911.

   3. (c) The department shall make grant payments to the county treasurer, for the benefit of the county drainage board. If the county drainage board hires an agent to complete a project on its behalf, the department may, at the request of the county drainage board, make a check jointly payable to the county treasurer and that agent.

History

History: CR 01-004: Cr. Register January 2002 No. 553, eff. 2-1-02.