Press Times Weekly Meeting Recap

Green Bay City Council

New council sworn in

Green Bay City Council Chambers was packed with standing room only as the newly-elected 12 alderpersons were sworn in by Circuit Court Judge Donald Zuidmulder for a two-year term.

Of the 12-member council, five are new alderperson – Jennifer Grant (District 1), Jim Hutchison (District 2), Bill Morgan (District 3), Steven Campbell (District 6) and Melinda Eck (District 11).

Alderpersons also reelected District 12’s Jesse Brunette as city council president in a closed-ballot 8-4 vote per the request of District 8 Alderperson Chris Wery.

District 4 Alderperson Bill Galvin was also nominated.

“Thank you to all members of the council, those who voted for or against me,” Brunette said. “It’s a tremendous honor. it’s a great responsibility and it’s one that I don’t take lightly. So if there’s anything that I can ever do, recommend or advocate for things in your district, please let me know. I think we all know by now that I take the role of council president seriously, that I have to protect the city as embodied as an independently-elected body city government. That can be uncomfortable at times, but I will never use this position to divide people.”

District 9 Alderperson Brian Johnson was unanimously elected as city council vice president.

The council also confirmed standing committee and board/commission appointments for the next two years.

The appointments are as follows:

Protection and Policy

• Craig Stevens

• Jennifer Grant

• Randy Scannell

• Bill Morgan

Personnel and Finance

• Bill Galvin

• Brian Johnson

• Jesse Brunette

• Jim Hutchison

Parks and Improvement & Services

• Steven Campbell

• Melinda Eck

• Chris Wery

• Mark Steuer

Annexation Commission

• Jennifer Grant

CDBG Revolving Loan Committee

• Bill Morgan

Economic Development Authority

• Bill Morgan

Ethics Board

• Bill Galvin

Green Bay Plan Commission

• Jim Hutchison

Green Bay Public Arts Commission

• Brian Johnson

Landmarks Commission

• Brian Johnson

Redevelopment Authority

• Randy Scannell

Sustainability Commission

• Mark Steuer

Traffic, Bicycle & Pedestrian Commission

• Craig Stevens

Transit Commission

• Randy Scannell

Water Commission

• Craig Stevens

Alderpersons were thrown right into the deep end with a nearly four-hour meeting.

In one of its first actions as a body, the council approved the issuance of general obligation bonds not to exceed $14,475,000 – which includes $6,040,000 for street improvements; $3,780,000 for sewerage improvements; $715,000 for parking lots or other parking facilities; $1,635,000 for fire engines and other equipment of the fire department; $995,000 for parks and public grounds; and $1,310,000 for buildings and equipment, including garage repairs for the Department of Public Works and roof repairs for Fire Station No. 4.

De Pere School Board

Innovation teaching grant

The De Pere School Board heard a presentation from high school chemistry teacher Jacqueline Mirkes on the use of infrared cameras in the classroom – the result of an innovative teaching grant she received in 2020, which she implemented during the 2021-22 school year.

Mirkes said the $3,114 grant afforded her the ability to outfit her classes with iPads and infrared cameras that can show students things they wouldn’t otherwise be able to see, such as the transfer of energy.

“It’s always been my goal to make the invisible visible,” she said.

Mirkes said infrared allows students to view the absorption and release of heat when certain chemicals dissolve, as well as how evaporative cooling can help predict the strength of intermolecular forces.

Board members got the opportunity to use the equipment themselves, viewing the heat emitted by reusable sodium acetate hand warmers.

Mirkes said the cameras can be used in other classes besides chemistry, including physics, biology, astronomy, anatomy and physiology.

College-level classes

In other business, the board voted to approve college-level classes for 38 high school students through the Early College Credit Program.

Classes include those on building code, calculus, the history of Western art, American Sign Language, emergency medical technician training and certified nursing assistant training. Through the program, students earn college and high school credits with tuition split between the institution of higher learning, the school district and the state.

Participating institutions include Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, St. Norbert College, Concordia and Bellin College.

Chromebook bid

The board awarded a bid of $401,659.25 to CDW-G, LLC to replace the district’s Chromebooks, including 555 for students in grades third through sixth, 445 for students in grade nine and 200 for teachers.

Staff said the bid selected was more than $58,000 lower than the next lowest bid.

Brown County Board

Supervisors take oath

A handful of new faces and several old ones were sworn in Tuesday, April 14, as Brown County Supervisors for two-year terms.

New supervisors, and those elected in 2020 who didn’t have the opportunity to be sworn in because of the COVID-19 pandemic, took the oath individually in front of Circuit Court Judge Donald Zuidmulder.

Returning supervisors were sworn in collectively.

District 11 Supervisor Pat Buckley was reelected as chairman, receiving the only nomination, while District 16 Supervisor Dave Kaster beat out District 8 Supervisor Megan Borchardt for vice chair.

Southern bridge funding

Supervisors unanimously accepted $5 million in federal transportation funding for environmental and engineering work for sections two and three of the Southern Bridge Connector project.

The vote also included an allocation of $600,000 in American Rescue Plan funds for the county’s half of the required local share.

Supervisors also accepted $600,000 from the City of De Pere to cover De Pere’s portion for a total of $1.2 million.

“This is a good day for the County and more importantly, in this journey for the southern bridge,” County Executive Troy Streckenbach said.

De Pere City Council

Community survey

De Pere residents may soon be asked to provide feedback when it comes to local amenities in a new community survey.

Common Council members went over the survey questions at the April 19 meeting.

Staff said the survey’s main objectives are to gauge community satisfaction on issues such as quality of life, city services, fees and taxes, dissemination of information, the economic enhancement of downtown De Pere and demographic characteristics.

The survey will be conducted through St. Norbert College’s Strategic Research Institute at the Schneider School of Business and Economics.

City Administrator Lawrence Delo said the city has previously utilized the services of St. Norbert College to conduct community surveys in 2004, 2008, 2011 and 2014.

Delo said the questionnaire should take about 10 minutes to complete and will be designed to collect information sufficient to meet the research objectives, as well as basic demographic traits of the survey takers, such as age, gender and how long they’ve lived in De Pere.

Police department purchases

The council authorized the purchase of 28 patrol rifles, plus accessories and four gun safes, in the amount of $38,000.

Police Chief Jeremy Muraski said the department’s old patrol rifles, some more than two decades old, will be sold back to the vendor as an offset to the price of the new incoming rifles.

Alderpersons also authorized the purchase of electric bicycles in the amount of $9,978.

Muraski said the department’s intention is to use the bikes for patrol “several times a week.” “We want to use them for farmers markets, for patrols along the different trails just in the near downtown business areas, and things like that, so it certainly would be more than just a few events,” he said.

Mayor James Boyd said the department has gone without bicycle patrol capability for five to 10 years.

Council members also authorized the purchase of computer server licensing in the amount of $4,631.

Muraski said all purchases would be funded through law enforcement grant monies recently allocated to the department by Gov. Tony Evers.

In other business, the council voted unanimously to:

• Approve changes to the adult basketball league program, to include changing fees to $550 for officiated leagues, and no change to fees for non-officiated leagues, as well as increase wages for officials from $30 to $40 per game for non-WIAA certified officials and from $35 to $45 per game for WIAA certified officials.

The vote also includes adding a court supervisor position with a wage of $16 per game to supervise non-officiated games. 

• Award a contract of $2,989,071.50 for sewer and water relay and street resurfacing to Jossart Brothers, Inc. 

• Award a contract of  $663,465.25 for alley reconstruction to Peters Concrete Company.

• Approve additional funding of $13,947.68 from unassigned reserves for the replacement of the fire alarm panel at City Hall.

• Authorize an agreement between the City of De Pere and MSA Professional Services and $8,000 from unassigned reserves for grant identification, solicitation and management services.

• Authorize an agreement for consulting services between the city and Tweet-Garot Mechanical, Inc. for design and construction management of the City Hall boiler replacement.

Suamico Village Board

Tremble School relocation details 

The Village Board put the final touches on a project that will bring the old Tremble Schoolhouse, currently located on Riverside Drive, to Ancestry Acres on Velp Avenue, when it met Monday, April 18.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, property owners to the immediate north of Ancestry Acres expressed concern that the placement of the schoolhouse, as it was proposed, would be in the sightline of their front porch and problematic for entertaining during warm months.

However, moving the schoolhouse further back on the Velp Avenue property, which is owned by the Howard-Suamico Historical Society, would require the removal of a 50-year-old pine tree.

The owners of the property to the north informed the board that it was their family who planted the tree in question years ago and they didn’t mind it being cut down to make room for the schoolhouse to be placed out of their front porch’s line of sight.

The board, however, decided to go with the historical society’s recommendation and keep the plan as is, and not remove the tree. 

“The tree is on village property, which the historical society owns,” Trustee Jason Ward said. “So, I would put a little more weight toward that side of the argument.”

However, in the interest of giving the property to the north as much breathing room as possible, the board modified where the schoolhouse will be positioned on the site from 15 feet away from the northern property line to 20 feet away.

The schoolhouse will sit 65 feet off Velp Avenue, further than the 55-foot that the plan originally called for.

The schoolhouse is expected to be moved in mid-May.

Service milestones recognized

Village employees reaching significant markers in their tenure were recognized at the start of Monday’s meeting. 

Denis Vanden Heuvel was honored for 35 years with the sewer/water utility department.

“He’s seen everything go into the ground, from day one, it seems,” Department of Public Works Director Andy Smits said. “If something’s not written down or in our system, you ask Denis, he remembers. His experience is second to none.”

Ken Fischer, public works department’s head foreman, started with the village in April 2007, and was recognized for his 15 years of service.

“Appreciate all the work he does,” Smits said. “He can fix just about anything and sometimes, he even surprises himself.”

West De Pere School Board

Additional special education teacher hired

The School Board unanimously approved a request by administration to hire an additional special education teacher at Hemlock Creek Elementary when it met April 13.

According to a memo from Director of Student Services Amy Schuh, over the last two years, the district has seen a significant increase in the needs of students with disabilities – with more students requiring small group or individual instruction from special education teachers.

She said over the last six years, Hemlock Creek’s special education population has increased significantly – with the percentage next year estimated to be the highest.

The memo states the percentage of Hemlock Creek student identified as having a disability over the last six years are:

• 2016-17 – 5.9%

• 2017-18 – 5.9%

• 2018-19 – 7%

• 2019-20 – 7.5%

• 2020-21 – 7.5%

• 2021-22 – 9%

• 2022-22 – predicted 9.1%

Schuh said Hemlock Creek has also averaged about five students with disabilities who transfer into the district over the summer.

“By adding a fifth special education teacher, I am confident we will be able to continue to provide high quality services that meet the needs of our students,” she said.

Phantom eAcademy update

The board received a brief update on the district’s virtual learning option.

The district will end the 2021-22 school year with 14 students – nine from the high school level, three middle school students and two K-6 students – participating in the Phantom eAcademy, the partnership with the Kiel School District.

Parent/student informational meetings will be held on April 20 and 28, with a May 6 deadline to apply.

Applicants and their families will be notified of their acceptance status by May 27.

Bellevue Village Board

Annual stormwater report

The Village Board received its annual MS4 stormwater report during April 13 Village Board meeting, as required by the DNR, from Cedar Corporation.

The report documents how the village is meeting the minimum requirement of the state permit.

“The village is actually doing a wonderful job with their MS4 requirements,” Joe Pingle, stormwater engineer with Cedar Corporation, said. “Staff, from what I’ve seen, are taking the bull by the horns and learning the requirements and they’re taking ownership. So, I do feel things are going in a good direction.”

No community comments made during public hearing

Two public hearings held April 13 garnered no comment from residents.

The first was a request by Adam Pritzl, owner of Secure Investments LLC, for a conditional use permit to develop a 7,575-square-foot mini storage unit on a 3.8 acre piece of property at 1854 Industrial Drive.

The board granted his request with a unanimous vote.

The second was a request from Robert Schlag to rezone an 18-acre parcel of land on the west side of County Highway GV from agricultural transition district to Intensive business district.

The board approved this request unanimously as well.

Katers recognized

The board paused briefly to recognize outgoing Trustee Tom Katers for his years of dedicated service.

Katers began his tenure on the board in 2012.

Village President Steve Soukup presented Katers with a plaque and an accommodation, thanking him for his 10 years of service to the village.

Katers got choked up during a brief thank you speech, calling the moment bittersweet. 

“I truly enjoyed this opportunity and the experience,” he said. “I won’t forget it, thank you.”

Katers will be replaced on the Village Board by Trustee-Elect Jackie Krull.

Crack-filling bid awarded

The board awarded the 2022 crack-filling bid contract to lowest bidder, Asphalt Seal and Repair Inc. of De Pere at $1.59 per pound for no more than $70,000.

Eric Woodke, director of Public Works, said the village’s routine crack-filling work helps extend the life of pavements by sealing the cracks in pavement to help prevent water infiltration into the subgrade.

Woodke said Asphalt Seal and Repair has been a reliable contractor for the village in the past. 

Dog park shade structure

The board approved the purchase of a shade structure at the Laura & Peter Mossakowski Family Dog Park for a total of $36,942.40.

Per previous approval earlier this year, the board allocated up to $20,000 in funds generated through park user fees and up to $15,000 in Park and Recreation impact fees to fund the purchase and installation of a shade structure at the dog park.

Any remaining costs associated with the project would be the responsibility of the Laura & Peter Mossakowski Family Dog Park, LTD. 

Press Times Editor Heather Graves, Staff Writer Josh Staloch, Correspondent Lee Reinsch and interns Janelle Fisher and Kat Halfman contributed to these briefs.