De Pere Common Council Meeting – November 4, 2025

The De Pere Common Council met at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, in Council Chambers at 335 South Broadway and virtually. All nine alderpersons and Mayor James Boyd were present. The council approved routine items, made a significant water-rate funding decision, and authorized construction contracts for a public parking ramp. The meeting adjourned at 8:24 p.m.

Consent Calendar / Routine Approvals

• Approved the minutes of the October 21, 2025 Common Council meeting unanimously.
• Accepted a $1,680 donation from De Pere Baseball to repair the Gandrud Field outfield fence. Alderperson Carpenter asked how the city would pay its half; staff believed it was already included in the Parks Department budget.
• Approved a 4-lot extraterritorial certified survey map at 2400 BLK French Road in Lawrence (Parcels L-454-3 and L-2078) unanimously.
• Approved the De Pere Business Improvement District 2026 Operating Plan unanimously. Development Services Director Dan Lindstrom said the funding mechanism was unchanged, but allocations were slightly different as the BID board takes a more hands-on role.
• Adopted Resolution #25-119 unanimously by roll call, granting a planning option to purchase to Ehlinger Properties, LLC for part of the West Business Park parcel WD-L492-B-5.
• Adopted Resolution #25-120 unanimously by roll call, approving a utility facilities easement agreement with the Central Brown County Water Authority for Parcel WD-1050 at 0 Lawrence Drive.

Public Comments & Testimony

• None. The mayor called for public comments three times; no one spoke.

Discussion Items

Water Rate Application: Cash Funding vs. Debt Financing vs. Hybrid

• City Manager Kim Flom reviewed the water utility’s history: it is an enterprise fund, and the Public Service Commission (PSC) sets rates. Key history included a 12% rate increase in 2011, years of operating revenue covering expenses but not the 1% annual water-main replacement target beginning in 2017, temporary gap funding from other funds from 2017–2020, a 19% conventional rate case increase in 2021, and a formalized $5.2 million long-term advance owed by the water utility to the general fund and sewer fund.
• Staff presented two base options. Debt financing would keep near-term consumer rates lower but add interest and issuance costs; staff estimated a $1 million borrowing would cost about $1.5 million over time, create intergenerational inequity, and increase debt burden. Cash funding through PSC-authorized expense depreciation would mean a higher rate upfront but lower costs over time and a debt-free utility; staff noted only four municipalities had used it, so De Pere would be the fifth.
• Staff also presented a hybrid option requested by council: borrow about $1 million per year through 2028, then switch to cash funding in 2029. The hybrid was estimated to produce a 5.3% increase in 2026 and a 16.1% increase in 2029. By contrast, immediate cash funding was estimated at roughly 18.75% if effective in 2027, growing to about 21% if deferred to 2029.
• Alderperson Carpenter strongly opposed debt financing and favored immediate cash funding, saying it was better to “rip the band-aid off” than pass debt to future ratepayers. Alderperson Ledvina agreed and supported cash funding. Alderperson Nelson also leaned toward cash funding. Mayor Boyd and Alderpersons Hansen and Gantz initially favored the hybrid because of current inflationary pressures. Alderperson Hansen noted the hybrid relied on a future council continuing with expense depreciation.
• Alderperson Hansen also raised a constituent’s concern about the declining-block rate structure, where larger water users pay lower per-unit rates. Staff said council could consider changing the rate structure as part of the rate case, but no decision was needed that night.
• Mayor Boyd moved to approve the hybrid model, seconded by Alderperson Gantz. Alderperson Carpenter moved to amend to the original cash funding/expense depreciation option, seconded by Alderperson Kundinger. The amendment passed 6–3, with Mayor Boyd and Alderpersons Hansen and Gantz opposed. The amended motion then passed 7–2, with Mayor Boyd and Alderperson Hansen voting no. Council direction was to pursue a conventional rate case using expense depreciation/cash funding, with the PSC setting the actual rates.

Public Parking Ramp at 230 North Wisconsin

• Resolution #25-121 authorized Miron Construction Co., Inc. to award contracts related to construction of the public parking ramp on Parcel ED-875, 230 North Wisconsin, in an amount totaling $6,035,448.00. Alderperson Hansen asked whether it was common for the construction manager at risk to also bid on project contracts. Dan Lindstrom explained the RFP intentionally did not cap self-performance, Miron was the lowest qualified bidder on some packages, and only two construction managers at risk applied. The resolution was adopted unanimously by roll call.
• Resolution #25-122 authorized an amendment to the Construction Manager at Risk (CMaR) contract with Miron Construction regarding the Guaranteed Maximum Price for the same parking ramp project. Staff explained the GMP is part of the CMaR process and does not prevent change orders; this was the city’s first CMaR project. The resolution was adopted unanimously by roll call.
• Staff displayed a rendering of the parking ramp and noted a third bid round would cover parking access/control equipment and caulking, which were included as allowances in the GMP.

Future Agenda Items

• Alderperson Hansen requested an update on the Unified School District of De Pere traffic study for Chicago and Merrill Streets, noting its relationship to next year’s Merrill Street reconstruction. The request was referred to the Board of Public Works.

Key Outcomes

• Approved, as amended 7–2, the recommendation from the Board of Public Works to pursue a conventional water rate application using cash funding/expense depreciation, discontinuing the debt-financing method for water utility capital.
• Authorized Miron Construction to award parking ramp construction contracts totaling $6,035,448.00 and approved the related CMaR Guaranteed Maximum Price amendment, both unanimously.
• Referred the Unified School District traffic study update to the Board of Public Works for a future agenda.