| By Big Radio News Staff |
A city of Janesville official says the city disclosed environmental concerns before it handed the Janesville Boys & Girls Club a piece of contaminated land on South Jackson Street.
City Economic Development Director Jimsi Kuborn says the city disclosed that soil at part of the half-acre site at 915 S. Jackson St. has lead, benzene and petrochemical contamination from former industrial use.
The Boys & Girls Club aims to build a youth center there, but the group says it must pay at least $800,000 first to clean up the site.
The city donated the property to the Boys & Girls Club in December 2023.
Kuborn says by then, the nonprofit had known for months about soil contamination the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has identified on the site.
The Boys & Girls Club has not responded to questions from Big Radio on when the group learned of the full scope of cleanup needed at the site.
Kuborn says the city has given the Boys & Girls Club some guidance on cleanup grants it could apply for.
