MON AM News: Talent access tops list of business challenges in Fox Cities survey; Alliant Energy to submit less-redacted service contract proposal for Meta data center

March 2, 2026

— A recent survey of Appleton-area companies found access to talent was far and away the biggest challenge associated with doing business in the region.

The Fox Cities Chamber recently released the results of its 2026 Economic Outlook Survey, which revealed the business community in the northeastern Wisconsin region is “cautiously optimistic” about what this year will bring.

“Businesses are growing steadily, believe in the region, and see the Fox Cities as a competitive place to operate,” authors wrote. “The defining challenges — and opportunities — center on talent: attracting people, housing them affordably, preparing them for local jobs, and helping employers adapt to new technologies.”

About 45% of respondents pointed to talent as their top hurdle to business success, while no other concern topped 20%. Those included the cost of doing business, market proximity, work ethic, housing and local infrastructure.

When asked to compare their performance in 2025 compared to the prior year, 55% of respondents said they had higher revenue, while 25% said revenue was unchanged over the year and 19% said it was lower.

The breakdown was similar for a question on profits, with 49% seeing improvement between 2024 and 2025, 28% seeing no change and 23% seeing a decline in profits over the year.

For employment, 38% saw an increase while 52% had no change over the year and 11% saw a decline. And for capital investment, 37% had an increase while 49% saw no change and 15% had a decrease.

Looking ahead to the rest of this year, respondents were slightly more optimistic about prospects for revenue and profits.

Fifty-six percent said they expect revenues in 2026 to exceed last year, while 36% expect them to hold steady and just 8% are projecting a decline. At the same time, 50% expect to see higher profits while 40% expect no change and 10% project lower profits this year.

Meanwhile, 35% expect to have more employees this year than last year, 59% expect to have the same number and 7% expect to have fewer workers. For capital investment in 2026, 30% expect it to rise from last year’s total, 52% expect no change and 18% project a lower level.

Another question asked respondents about their primary growth strategy for the next 12 months, revealing 40% plan to grow existing markets, 16% plan to enter new markets and 12% plan to boost productivity, while 7% plan to grow their margins and 7% plan to strengthen management.

Respondents’ views on the economic vitality of the Fox Cities seem to be improving, with the share of those saying it’s good or excellent rising from about 70% in 2021 to just above 80% in the latest survey.

The survey was conducted in December and January using the online platform SurveyMonkey, a chamber spokesperson said. It was distributed and administered by the Fox Cities Chamber Regional Partnership, including 109 businesses and organizations located in Outagamie, Calumet and northern Winnebago counties.

See the full results and release.

— Attorneys for Alliant Energy now say they will submit to the Public Service Commission a less-redacted version of their proposed service contract with Meta.

Alliant’s attorneys on Friday said they would confer with Meta to unredact portions of their proposal and electric service agreement and submit those for review by the PSC’s attorneys that afternoon.

The regulators’ attorneys will then review those redactions before releasing the newly unearthed information to the public at a later date.

Environmental and consumer protection groups who have intervened in the ratepayer case have complained about the extent of the redactions in the utility’s proposal to provide custom electric rates for the tech giant’s data center campus in Beaver Dam.

PSC attorneys in a hearing Thursday backed the advocacy groups’ concerns.

“It’s abundantly clear at this point looking back that those redactions were overdone and are hampering the process here,” said Sophia Rogers, adding the regulators’ attorneys had “failed to recognize just how overredacted the application really was.”

Husch Blackwell attorney David Zoppo said the utility would work with Meta “to remove basically as many redactions as possible” without disclosing trade secrets protected under state statute, such as specific pricing or customer load information.

Several post-hearing deadlines have been postponed indefinitely, with the public comment period for the proposal extended to at least March 9.

— UW-Green Bay and the New North say the newly launched Cheese Wedge Consortium will strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem in northeastern Wisconsin.

The consortium is one of four selected through the Ignite Wisconsin program.

Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. announced $3.5 million in grant funding to support startup efforts throughout the state.

The university and regional economic development group announced Friday they will be jointly leading the consortium, which is getting $1 million in grant funding from the program. Efforts will focus on accelerator programming tailored to “regional needs,” pre-seed investment bootcamps for entrepreneurs, corporate engagement, equity investments and other support.

See the release and an earlier story on the funding.

— Wisconsin is getting more than $719,000 through a multi-state settlement with Walmart, the state Department of Justice announced.

Attorney General Josh Kaul, other state attorneys general and the Federal Trade Commission last week entered the $100 million settlement with the retail giant, related to allegations that Walmart misled customers and drivers about its Spark Driver Program.

The company is paying $11 million to states through the settlement, and $79 million directly to drivers. Wisconsin-based drivers will get more than $600,000, the DOJ release says.

The settlement resolves allegations that Walmart “misrepresented” information to drivers about base pay and incentives through the Spark Driver program, which has been operating since 2018. Customers can use the company’s Spark App to order home-delivered products, and sign up to be drivers as well.

Walmart allegedly changed orders after drivers accepted “offers” in the app, or delivery requests, leading to those who accepted them getting paid less than was promised. The company also allegedly didn’t pay drivers for completing certain incentives by not disclosing requirements for doing so, and kept part or all of the tips that drivers were told they would receive.

“People deserve to get honest information about what they’ll be paid,” Kaul said in a statement. “I’m glad that this settlement provides for payment to affected drivers.”

See the release and proposed settlement.

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