Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Green Bay public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
50 issues in taxes budget
Priority-based budgeting implementation
The city now maps nearly all of its $294 million budget to 385 programs and scores them against council priorities. Departments are reviewing cost-saving ideas from other cities, with 50 flagged for study — savings would likely show up in the 2028 budget, not next year's.
Public Works finance oversight consolidation
Public Works has been splitting its financial work across multiple divisions, raising the risk of errors and burying oversight in director-level roles. The new Finance and Business Manager position puts all departmental finances — including stormwater, sewer and parking funds — under one person.
Public Works financial oversight restructuring
Public Works has been splitting its financial work across multiple divisions, raising the risk of errors and burying oversight in director-level roles. The new Finance and Business Manager position puts all departmental finances — including stormwater, sewer and parking funds — under one person.
Revolving loan fund health and delinquent borrower
All open loan accounts are now current after staff follow-up last month. The long-troubled Taxco building loan is moving through legal action — one of two borrowers has been served, with a judgment and redemption period ahead if no remedy happens.
Fair housing enforcement and public services funding
Four nonprofits split about $121,000 in federal block grant money for transportation, youth programs, autism services, and reentry work — but a fifth award to NEWCAP was paused over recent concerns about how the organization handles its resources. That leaves roughly $30,500 unawarded for now.
Elimination of City Assessor position
Green Bay is getting rid of its City Assessor job and hiring Forward-Appraisal to do that work instead, part of a budget-season push to cut costs. Your residential assessments stay with the same four appraisers; Forward-Appraisal already handles all commercial assessments and will now oversee the office.
Draft ordinances: overnight parking and second-cart fees
The weekend overnight no-stopping rule downtown is changing on a 90-day trial: most of it goes away, but a stretch near Doty Street gets a new restriction, and the Walnut Street loading zone is reworked. Trial results could make the change permanent.
Bay Beach parking revenue program
Alderperson Eck asked how much the Bay Beach parking program has collected; revenue figures are due next week and there's no set threshold for continuing or ending the program.
West Side Municipal Garage HVAC replacement
The city is spending $80,000 on design work for replacing the aging heating and cooling system at its West Side garage — the first step before construction.
2026 Budget Amendment for Special Events Overtime
The council amended the 2026 budget to cover unbudgeted overtime for special events.
Agricultural lease rates on city farmland
The city leases about 105 acres of farmland to local farmers while it waits to develop it. Rates go up $20 to $150 per acre — still below state and county averages — with one parcel on a shorter lease because of the coming solar farm.
Draft 2027-2031 Capital Improvement Plan
The city's five-year capital wishlist is on the table — about $90 million recommended for 2027 alone, from fire engines and police radios to street reconstruction and a new Bay Beach maintenance building. Only about $20 million would likely be borrowed; the real borrowing request comes later with the 2027 budget.
2027 Business Improvement District operating plans
All four BIDs get new operating plans with modest assessment increases — Downtown's first rate change in 25 years, Broadway's ~5% bump, Military Avenue's first cap raise since 2014. The money funds cleaning, beautification, events, marketing, and business recruitment downtown.
Tax Incremental District No. 35 (200 N Monroe)
The city created a new TID at 200 N Monroe to finance redevelopment there using future property tax growth within the district. It's a major economic development tool, though it diverts that incremental tax revenue from general city coffers while the district is active.
2027 Employee Benefits and Labor Negotiations
Council approved 2027 health, dental, vision, life and disability benefits and directed staff on fire and police labor agreement negotiations.
2027 Parking Division rate structure
The council adopted new parking rates for 2027, affecting anyone who parks downtown or at city meters and ramps.
2026 IBEW Local 158 labor agreement
Council approved the city's 2026 labor agreement with IBEW Local 158, covering city electrical workers.
2027 City Fee Schedule
Next year's citywide fees for permits, licenses and services — including higher commercial building permit fees and a corrected new-construction rate — now head to the Common Council. Most residential fees held steady while commercial fees rose to cover city costs.
2027 Employee Health and Benefits Package
The city locked in its 2027 health, dental, vision, life, and disability benefits for employees starting January 1, 2027. Plan designs stay the same, active-employee premiums rise only 1%, and retiree premiums jump 10% because retirees use the plan at much higher rates. It's aimed at keeping benefits competitive while protecting taxpayers.
2027 Police and Fire Labor Agreements
Behind closed doors, the committee got an update on 2027 contract talks with both the firefighters union and the police association, then voted to proceed as directed. The details stay confidential for now, but these agreements shape firefighter and police pay and conditions next year.
Mason Manor rent adjustment
At the December 1 contract renewal, rents will move to project-based voucher standards, bringing in about $9,866 more per month (roughly $118,000 a year) without raising what tenants pay.
Responsible bidder threshold increase
The city raised the threshold for letting contracts to the lowest responsible bidder from $25,000 to $50,000.
2025 Audit Results
The financial report showed revenues exceeding expenses, with two months of revenues still to come and no further expenses expected this fiscal year.
Communication process for appointed city members
Ald. Delie wants a clearer communication process for appointed commission and committee members. The committee sent it to staff to review the onboarding process and check how neighboring cities do it before anything is adopted.
2027 Employee Insurance Changes
The council set up income continuation insurance for employees starting in 2027 and switched the pharmacy benefits manager to SmithRx and the Family Savings Plan administrator to Associated Bank.
Family Savings Plan administrator switch to Associated Bank
The popular Family Savings Plan moves from Network Health to Associated Bank, dropping costly shared-savings payments and cutting administrative costs by about $560,000. Employees get a reimbursement debit card and HSA eligibility with minimal disruption.
Employee disability coverage enhancement
The city is adding state-managed Income Continuation Insurance that gives employees free long-term disability coverage starting January 1, 2027, replacing what workers currently pay for themselves. Each employee saves at least $285 a year, with a short-term option to fill the 7-to-30-day gap if enough employees enroll.
Pharmacy benefits manager transition to SmithRx
The city is switching its pharmacy benefits manager from Optimum to SmithRx, projected to save about $650,000 in year one through better rebate deals and cost controls. Employees keep using the same pharmacies and specialty medication users get personalized transition help.
Innovation and data strategy leadership
A new Lead — Innovation and Data Strategy position in the Mayor's Office will be paid from the Innovation Fund, backing the last year of the Connect Green Bay plan and more public-facing performance data.
Public Works Traffic Division staffing change
Green Bay is creating a dedicated Traffic Manager to run the Traffic Division, handling traffic calming, signal timing, safety studies, and staffing the Traffic, Bicycle and Pedestrian Commission. The pay grade bump makes the job competitive and clears the way to hire.
Citywide Efficiency and Organizational Review
Berry, Dunn, McNeil and Parker LLC was hired to conduct the city's efficiency and organizational review.
Personnel policy Chapter 9 changes
City employee policies were updated on vacation accruals, funeral leave — now including up to 3 days of paid bereavement leave for pregnancy loss — and volunteer time limited to eligible nonprofits in the city. A related referral on leadership-recruiting vacation accruals was tabled.
Citywide fleet GPS tracking expansion
The city will outfit all 552 vehicles and equipment with Precise Telematics GPS tracking, cutting per-unit costs by 10%. It helps with salt usage, liability claims, and maintenance tracking — but adds about $110,000 a year to future budgets.
Fleet replacement for DPW mechanics
Council bought a small fleet's worth of 2026 equipment — dump trucks, two street sweepers, a sewer vacuum truck, a bucket truck, snow gear, and refuse truck bodies.
Volunteer time limited to city charities
The committee approved paid volunteer time for employees but added a restriction — hours can only be served with City of Green Bay charities. One alder objected to the limit.
Funeral leave modernization
Employees can now use bereavement days for tasks around a death — handling affairs, travel, family needs — not just the funeral itself. No extra days, just more flexibility.
Paid volunteer day for city employees
Full-time employees get one paid day per year to volunteer, with verification and no carryover. The committee limited it to City of Green Bay charities on a 3-1 vote, so taxpayer-funded time benefits the city itself.
Employee vacation accrual increase
The city is raising vacation accruals for non-represented employees to better compete for talent, after its 2025 employee survey flagged pay and benefits as the weakest area. 78% of voluntary turnover in the last five years came from employees with under five years of tenure, and staff hope richer vacation slows that.
36-month Cellcom contract
A three-year Cellcom contract was approved after being referred to staff in May — routine telecom procurement.
2026 CDBG and HOME Annual Action Plan
The Authority approved the 2026 plan directing federal CDBG and HOME grant dollars to housing and community development activities.
2025 General Fund Overtime
The committee reviewed how 2025 general fund overtime spending stacked up against the budget and approved the report.
Expanded vacation accrual for city employees
The city is boosting vacation for non-union workers to compete with other municipalities for talent. New hires get three weeks immediately, and everyone gains an extra day every two years. It addresses 78% of turnover coming from employees with under five years.
TID 12 closure (I-43 Industrial Park)
The Authority amended and then terminated TID 12, the I-43 Industrial Park district, closing out its financing chapter.
TID 12 I-43 Industrial Park allocation amendment
The board reviewed a proposed allocation amendment and amended project plan for the 20-year-old I-43 Industrial Park TID. A vote on the amendment is set for July 24, 2026.
Public Arts Commission staffing transition
The commission has operated without a coordinator for about eight months but has hired Michelle Diedrich, who starts July 20. Time-sensitive ARPA-funded projects, including a labyrinth at Old North Crossing, need to be completed by year's end.
RLF delinquent loans
Gina's Tax Solutions has stopped communicating and the city is pursuing legal action, while Legacy is behind on all three of its loans after a management change. Staff is working with both to get payments back on track.
Term limits and staggered terms for alderpersons
Staff will research whether the Council even has authority to impose term limits and staggered terms on its own members. It's a governance question, not a change yet.
Routine personnel actions and new positions
The city is filling two open positions — a commercial building inspector and a public works operator — and reported a wave of new hires, promotions, and pay changes across police, public works, planning, and parks. These staffing moves affect how quickly city services respond.
2026 Fall Election Polling Places Set
The Council established where residents will vote and which sites will offer in-person absentee voting for the fall primary and general elections.
GBHA Properties 1, Inc. FY 2026-27 Operating Budget
This small entity owns the property under the Housing Authority's scattered sites and uses its bank interest to pay its own insurance and audit fees. The new budget raises liability insurance by $900 and sets $8,000 in audit fees.