OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Green Bay Common Council Meeting – August 18, 2026

Common Council — Tuesday, August 25, 2026
BodyGreen Bay, Wisconsin
SessionCommon Council
DateTuesday, August 25, 2026
StatusNEW · FILED
Video Record
0:00 / 56:48

Transcript — Verbatim
1:54

Okay.

1:54

That's the one that he has printed out on the soul sheet.

1:56

Okay, he's got that one too.

1:58

Cool.

2:03

I call to order a meeting of our common council for Tuesday, August 18, 2026.

2:08

Clerk.

2:10

Thank you, Mayor.

2:11

All are signed in and present.

2:13

All right.

2:13

Thanks so much, Clerk.

2:14

Now please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance and remain standing for an invocation offered by Alder Hutchison.

2:20

I pledge allegiance to the play of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation, another guide, individual with liberty and justice for all.

3:17

So the city work can be performed so we can come together.

3:49

Second by Alder Ritterbush.

3:59

Yes, have it.

4:00

The minutes are approved.

4:01

Approval of the agenda.

4:02

Motion to approve and by Elder Presley.

4:05

Second by Alder Delee.

4:06

Any changes here?

4:12

Yes, have it.

4:13

The agenda has been approved.

4:14

Report by the mayor.

4:15

Um just announcement.

4:17

We've got Art Fest coming up this weekend.

4:19

Um, so really excited for that.

4:21

I'm going to be gone for the first half, but excited to get back for Sunday and check out everything they have going on.

4:26

So it would encourage everyone to come down if they've got some free time and enjoy being downtown and enjoy some original art.

4:33

Um, and thanks to DDBI, of course, for um, for their work to make that event happen.

4:38

Um, I think Alder Prophet was telling me there's still some volunteerships available.

4:43

So if all those are community members are interested in helping out the event also encourage that.

4:48

Um, a couple of thoughts on agenda items.

4:52

There is there are a couple of items in the personnel and the uh finance report related to staffing in the mayor's office for lead innovation and and data strategy position.

5:01

Uh, we just encourage your support for that.

5:03

Had a good discussion at um personnel and and finance.

5:07

Um issue has had the opportunity to present to the council here within the last few months.

5:13

Um, and the work he's doing is really instrumental, I think, to the future of the city.

5:18

Um, we are two years in roughly to uh uh a three-year plan called Connect Green Bay, uh, and is really orienting us towards more um data focused strategies, and um just really want to be able to continue that effort through this last year.

5:33

Uh so would encourage your support for that uh and thank our committees for uh supporting the position already.

5:40

Um then we have an item um that director Dickite is going to speak to with Shipyard.

5:45

Uh we just want to acknowledge that you know this is a really um pivotal public space for us.

5:52

Uh thanking the common council and the redevelopment authority for all of their past support and resources devoted to that project from the TID.

6:00

Um, we've got some good news that uh director Ditchite will we'll touch on, but that also involves some additional um TID support.

6:08

And so just again asking for for council's uh support of that request.

6:14

Um, I'm hoping this will be very close to the last request that we'll be bringing forward for public improvements there because it has just to acknowledge facts.

6:23

It has been a costly project for us.

6:25

Um, but I think everybody's gonna be really appreciative of that public space when it's complete, and this is really uh the most pivotal last piece of that.

6:34

So encouraging support for that as well.

6:37

Um, the last one, kind of a nerdy item.

6:39

Want to acknowledge Alder Act for bringing forward the renaming of Beaverdam Park to Douglas MacArthur Park.

6:47

Um, but I want to put on the table a friendly amendment to acknowledge uh Arthur Jr., who is Douglas MacArthur's father, and was um ultimately a general as well and a medal of honor winner.

7:01

Um, and they are I think one of only two father-son pairs who were both recognized for winning the medal of honor.

7:08

Um, Arthur was from the city of Milwaukee and was part of the I think it's like the 24th uh Wisconsin Infantry in the Civil War.

7:18

And uh there were two flag bearers who both lost their lives, and then Arthur MacArthur took up the flag and said on Wisconsin, um, was famous for for uttering that.

7:29

Won the battle at Missionary Ridge outside of Chattanooga.

7:33

Um so played a really big role in Wisconsin history, U.S.

7:36

history, um, a fantastic family overall, and just hoping we we might be able to acknowledge the entirety of the family um rather than just Douglas.

7:47

So but we'll we'll talk about that when we get to the item.

7:51

Uh so with that, um, any announcements from council.

7:56

Yeah, Alder Ritterbush.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Election Procedures████████████████████████████28%
Procedural████████████████████████24%
Engineering And Infrastructure████████████12%
Personnel Matters█████████9%
Zoning And Land Use████████8%
Public Engagement███████7%
Arts And Culture█████5%
Technology and Innovation█████5%
Parks and Recreation██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Green Bay Common Council Meeting – August 18, 2026

The Common Council of Green Bay met on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at 6:01 PM. All council members were present. The meeting included approval of minutes and agenda, mayor's report, council announcements, public hearings, reports from multiple committees, and an extensive election update regarding duplicate ballot incidents. Key actions included approval of a contract amendment for the Shipyard development, a conditional use permit for a telecommunications tower, and renaming of Beaverdam Park to MacArthur Family Park.

Consent Calendar

  • Minutes of previous meeting: Approved on motion by Alder Hutchison, seconded by Alder Ritterbush.
  • Agenda: Approved on motion by Alder Presley, seconded by Alder Delee.
  • Appointments: Approved unanimously.
  • Redevelopment Authority report: Approved.
  • Improvement and Services Committee report: Approved with exception of items 1 and 11.
  • Protection and Policy Committee report: Approved.
  • Police Department operator licenses report: Approved.
  • Finance Committee report: Approved.
  • Personnel Committee report: Approved.
  • Traffic, Bicycle, and Pedestrian Commission report: Approved.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Telecommunications Tower (2222 Deckner Avenue): Richard Lardner, a resident at 316 Blonde Avenue (230 feet from the proposed tower), spoke in opposition. He questioned RF radiation monitoring, safe distances, fall zone safety, and property value impacts. He expressed frustration that the Plan Commission approved the conditional use permit without apparent knowledge of RF radiation. No other public testimony was offered on this or other items.

Discussion Items

  • Mayor's Report: The mayor announced Art Fest and encouraged attendance, supported the lead innovation and data strategy position, and noted the Shipyard project's pivotal public space and the need for additional TID support. The mayor also proposed a friendly amendment to the Beaverdam Park renaming to include Arthur MacArthur Jr., making it MacArthur Family Park.
  • Council Announcements: Alder Ritterbush invited to the AFL-CIO picnic on Labor Day; Alder Delink announced Grooves on the Green event at Murphy Park; Alder Morgan thanked police and fire chiefs for an informative meeting.
  • Item 1 – Overnight On-Street Parking Referral: Alder Profit made a motion to refer the item to staff for further information, clarifying that no policy change is being voted on tonight. Approved.
  • Item 11 – Shipyard Development Phase 2 Contract Award: Director Dichtey reported that an EPA grant of $2.15 million (matching grant) was received, allowing full project scope including dog park, lighting, and bollards. The motion was amended to increase the contract amount to $11,668,826.70 and to approve an additional $750,000 in TID funding. Approved as amended.
  • Item 2 – Conditional Use Permit for Telecommunications Tower: After public testimony, Alder Hutchison acknowledged federal preemption on RF emissions and fall zone but committed to follow up on concerns. The item was approved (motion by Alder Profit, seconded by Alder Presley; some nays recorded).
  • Items 7 & 8 – Rezoning and Conditional Use Permit on Irvington Street: Alder Act explained his support for a practical middle ground that allows responsible redevelopment while protecting current homeowners. Both items were approved separately.
  • Item 4 – Beaverdam Park Renaming: Alder Act moved to rename to MacArthur Family Park to honor both Arthur MacArthur Jr. and Douglas MacArthur. The motion was seconded and approved as amended.
  • Election Update: Attorney Cochart and Clerk Menke detailed duplicate ballot incidents from the Spring and August 2026 elections. In March, 152 duplicate ballots were sent due to a printing error; in June/primary, 244 duplicate ballots were sent but none reached Central Count. No ballots were double-counted. A multi-step reprint tracking process has been implemented for the November election. Council members expressed support for former Clerk Celestine Jeffries and affirmed election security.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent items: Approved as noted above.
  • Overnight parking referral: Approved for staff review.
  • Shipyard contract award: Approved as amended ($11,668,826.70 plus $750,000 TID allocation).
  • Telecommunications tower conditional use permit: Approved.
  • Rezoning and conditional use permits for Irvington Street: Both approved.
  • Beaverdam Park renamed to MacArthur Family Park: Approved.
  • Committee of the Whole: Approved additional $750,000 from TID 22 for Shipyard project.
  • Resolutions and ordinances: Multiple ordinances advanced or adopted as detailed in the transcript (including unanimous adoption of resolutions and advancement of ordinances with one amendment).
  • Adjournment: Motion carried.

Meeting Transcript

Okay. That's the one that he has printed out on the soul sheet. Okay, he's got that one too. Cool. I call to order a meeting of our common council for Tuesday, August 18, 2026. Clerk. Thank you, Mayor. All are signed in and present. All right. Thanks so much, Clerk. Now please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance and remain standing for an invocation offered by Alder Hutchison. I pledge allegiance to the play of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation, another guide, individual with liberty and justice for all. So the city work can be performed so we can come together. Second by Alder Ritterbush. Yes, have it. The minutes are approved. Approval of the agenda. Motion to approve and by Elder Presley. Second by Alder Delee. Any changes here? Yes, have it. The agenda has been approved. Report by the mayor. Um just announcement. We've got Art Fest coming up this weekend. Um, so really excited for that. I'm going to be gone for the first half, but excited to get back for Sunday and check out everything they have going on. So it would encourage everyone to come down if they've got some free time and enjoy being downtown and enjoy some original art. Um, and thanks to DDBI, of course, for um, for their work to make that event happen. Um, I think Alder Prophet was telling me there's still some volunteerships available. So if all those are community members are interested in helping out the event also encourage that. Um, a couple of thoughts on agenda items. There is there are a couple of items in the personnel and the uh finance report related to staffing in the mayor's office for lead innovation and and data strategy position. Uh, we just encourage your support for that. Had a good discussion at um personnel and and finance. Um issue has had the opportunity to present to the council here within the last few months. Um, and the work he's doing is really instrumental, I think, to the future of the city. Um, we are two years in roughly to uh uh a three-year plan called Connect Green Bay, uh, and is really orienting us towards more um data focused strategies, and um just really want to be able to continue that effort through this last year. Uh so would encourage your support for that uh and thank our committees for uh supporting the position already. Um then we have an item um that director Dickite is going to speak to with Shipyard. Uh we just want to acknowledge that you know this is a really um pivotal public space for us. Uh thanking the common council and the redevelopment authority for all of their past support and resources devoted to that project from the TID. Um, we've got some good news that uh director Ditchite will we'll touch on, but that also involves some additional um TID support. And so just again asking for for council's uh support of that request. Um, I'm hoping this will be very close to the last request that we'll be bringing forward for public improvements there because it has just to acknowledge facts. It has been a costly project for us. Um, but I think everybody's gonna be really appreciative of that public space when it's complete, and this is really uh the most pivotal last piece of that. So encouraging support for that as well. Um, the last one, kind of a nerdy item. Want to acknowledge Alder Act for bringing forward the renaming of Beaverdam Park to Douglas MacArthur Park.

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