Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Green Bay public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
50 issues with high priority
Firefighter candidate retention
Great intern candidates are being lost because the fire department only hires once or twice a year. The Commission president asked HR to find a way to grab good candidates when they appear.
New single-family homes on South Broadway
Radue Homes won a one-year agreement to build another market-rate house at 1200 S Broadway. Its first three homes on that block sold before they even hit the market.
Patrol officer hiring
Two patrol officer candidates were reviewed and both removed from the hiring process, meaning the Police Department continues to search for new officers. Staffing levels for patrols may be affected while recruiting continues.
Eaton Heights III subdivision infrastructure dedication
The final payment to Calnin & Goss, LLC closes out the Phase 2 infrastructure package for the JBS Subdivision and Park.
Fire Station 6 remodel
Design work is moving forward on Fire Station 6 upgrades — HVAC, windows, and a new SCBA (self-contained breathing apparatus) room — to keep firefighters' equipment and working conditions up to standard.
City Forester nuisance tree authority
The committee approved an ordinance change making fines for cutting down or damaging public trees clearer and potentially costlier — at least $500 per incident, up to the tree's appraised value. It also adds a public webpage notice so people know the rules before they act.
Annual WisDOT Local Road Certification
A routine but required filing: the city must certify its miles of public roadways to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation each year, which affects state road aid.
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.
Scoring of affordable housing assistance
The budgeting model ranks affordable housing assistance among the least-aligned programs, which Ald. Proffitt called problematic given the city's growing unhoused population. She argued the scoring assumptions — or the strategic plan itself — may need rethinking.
Recycling contamination at Bay Beach Amusement Park
The Commission is spreading recycling education resources — an ABC book for elementary teachers, the Waste Wizard, and the Betterbin barcode app — and plans to revisit trash and recycling receptacles at Bay Beach with suggestions for the parks crew.
Solar for Good grant opportunity
The city is pursuing rooftop solar at its east and west side DPW garages (30% federal tax credit, plus 10% extra for the west side's legacy energy community), solar on the JBS urban barn, and a 53-acre solar lease with One Energy on farmland near a WPS substation.
Sex offender residency appeals
The board decides where registered sex offenders may live in Green Bay. Three people asked to live at specific addresses; one was denied, two were approved.
Grandview Industrial Park expansion
The council spent up to $51,000 of TID 25 money on land for extending Padi-Wood Lane and signed a development agreement with Global Optics — both pieces of the Grandview Industrial Park expansion.
South Grandview Road temporary bridge repairs
The city awarded a $151,571.25 contract to Norcon Corporation for temporary repairs to the S. Grandview Road bridge.
Vacant property registration and fee ordinance
The city wants to create a new registration and fee system for vacant commercial buildings, with penalties that follow properties through ownership transfers. Property owners and realtors showed up to oppose it, and the council couldn't reach agreement — it's heading back to committee for rework.
Vacant commercial property registration and fees
A new ordinance would make owners of long-vacant commercial buildings register them and pay escalating fees up to $4,000 a year, aiming to reactivate empty storefronts. The Realtors Association says it's a property-rights overreach; sponsors say vacancy shifts costs onto taxpayers and neighbors.
University Avenue commercial rezone
Seven properties on University Avenue were rezoned from General Commercial to Highway Commercial, opening up more intensive commercial uses along the corridor.
Resurrection Lutheran Church accessory building at 1004 Shawano Avenue
The pantry serving families every two minutes wanted a garage-style building for freezer space and weather-protected distribution, but the board couldn't legally justify a 5-foot setback next to a home. The project can't proceed as designed; staff suggested working on alternatives.
Traffic Calming Policy overhaul
Ald. Delie's detailed critique of the city's 2007 Traffic Calming Policy — which has never produced a single physical calming installation — was referred to staff for review and amendment.
Resurrection Lutheran food pantry expansion denied
The pantry serving families every two minutes wanted a garage-style building for freezer space and weather-protected distribution, but the board couldn't legally justify a 5-foot setback next to a home. The project can't proceed as designed; staff suggested working on alternatives.
Electric motorcycle fleeing and enforcement trends
Police report a jump in fleeing cases — about a third involve electric motorcycles, often ridden by young riders — plus two September fatal crashes and 13 serious-injury crashes in the third quarter.
Three-way stop at Greenbrier and Manitowoc Roads
A pedestrian was hit at this intersection earlier this year, and drivers average 34-35 mph in a 25 mph zone with no sidewalks nearby. The new three-way stop should balance delays and make crossings safer; sidewalk work is complicated because part of the area lies in the Village of Bellevue.
Construction communication improvements
Commissioner Refsguard found out via the Packers website that Metro would run regular game day service for the Badger game — without Metro being consulted. Better coordination on special event service is needed.
Bay Beach Amusement Park Shoreline Walk
The wildlife viewing platform bid came in over $5 million — far beyond the $1.4 million set aside — so the EPA approved redirecting the full $2.4 million grant to a shoreline trail nearly four times longer, opening public access behind the rides. The platform survives only if bigger grants or a much smaller design emerge.
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.
Global Optics headquarters and warehouse project
Global Optics, a Green Bay company since 1974, plans a $9.7 million headquarters and warehouse building on 8.65 acres of city land. The deal keeps the company in Green Bay and adds 15-18 jobs; the city invests in roads, utilities and stormwater that also open up the rest of its Grandview Industrial Park land for development.
Health of the city's tax increment districts
The city is launching three new tax districts — Velp/Locust, Brook Park and 200 N Monroe — to subsidize nearly 450 new housing units and commercial space. Tax increment from future property taxes will repay developer incentives over the districts' lifetimes.
Street reconstruction and bridge maintenance funding
The Nitschke Bridge closes June 1-19, Shawn Avenue gets lane closures June 8-12, and a Grandview Road bridge stays closed two to three months pending a re-bid of repairs. Truck traffic will need alternate routes during the Shawn Avenue work.
Fire Department equipment purchases
Firefighters get 30 new thermal imaging cameras now, and the CIP discussion covered replacing aging fire hose (some 30-35 years old), med units, gas detectors with failing charging stations, and phasing in diesel particulate filters that cut station exhaust and cancer risk.
Operator's license appeal and application disclosures
A bartender's license denial over an undisclosed old felony got a unanimous recommendation of approval, with members noting a broader problem: people mistakenly think old convictions don't need to be disclosed, and the police are required to deny those applications.
Lead and copper water sampling
The utility is continuing to test drinking water for lead and copper, an ongoing concern for homes with older plumbing. GM Brian Powell reported the latest sampling update to the commission.
Mayoral Campaign Announcement
Green Bay City Council President Alyssa Proffitt is running for mayor, so the city’s leadership priorities are about to get a lot more airtime. For voters, that means an earlier look at the choices ahead on budgets, services, and development. The announcement alone doesn’t change any city policy or tax.
Police and Fire Department staffing levels
The fire department expects at least four vacancies by early next year, and the police department is down 15 officers with four retirements coming, leaving roughly 151 deployable officers. Both departments are rolling out new recruitment tactics — farmers markets, Gambler games, rebranding, and possible TV appearances — to fill the ranks.
Irvington Street land-use change to residential
A stretch of Irvington Street properties was changed from future Regional Commercial to Mixed Residential in the city's comprehensive plan — shaping what can be built there.
2025 Justice Assistance Grant acceptance
The city can accept $62,043 in federal JAG money to buy portable police radios at no local cost. But new federal conditions about sharing immigration info with DHS spooked some alders, who wanted to know whether these terms are new and whether they apply beyond the radios before signing on.
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.
Mayoral Election
Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich isn’t running for a third term, so the city is headed for an open mayoral race. That means voters will likely get a new mayor and a fresh set of priorities soon. If you care about local leadership, this is the moment to start paying attention.
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.
Firefighters union grievance over mold remediation kit deliveries
The committee ruled that ordering firefighters to deliver mold remediation kits a week after the flooding violated Section 8.4 of the labor contract. This sets limits on what the fire chief can direct crews to do during disaster recovery, and could affect how the city responds to future floods.
2027 Employee Health and Benefits Package
Health premiums rise just 1% — far below the ~13% market rate — because the city switched pharmacy managers and savings plan administrators. Employees could save up to $100 a month on disability coverage thanks to the premium-holiday income continuation plan.
2027 Police and Fire Labor Agreements
Contract talks with both the fire and police unions are underway for 2027. Details were discussed in closed session and not made public.
Automated license plate readers (ALPR) policy
Commissioner Sherman asked Police Chief Davis about public controversy around Flock camera systems elsewhere in the Fox Valley. Davis detailed the city's five-year contract, data protections, a completed audit, and planned limits on data sharing with distant agencies.
Excess animal permit denial — Gottlieb dogs
Two of Doug Gottlieb's dogs bit a delivery driver on September 11, after the committee had given him extra time to show training progress. The committee denied his permit appeal, calling it a public safety matter for the neighborhood.
Heralys Beverage retail building at University & Henry
A proposed 60-by-30-foot retail store on a former parking lot hit four separate code hurdles — landscape islands, perimeter screening, driveway throat length and the 15-foot front setback. Neighbors warned of alley congestion, blocked garages and dangerous intersection sight lines. The board denied the variances 1-3, suggesting a smaller building could comply.
May 2026 Traffic Safety Plan and June enforcement deployments
The Police Department's Traffic Enforcement Unit reported slightly lower August enforcement numbers due to officer leave, with upcoming OWI, seat belt, speed, and pedestrian deployments and new grant applications for the fiscal year starting October 1.
Closed Section 8 waiting list
The Brown County Housing Authority's Section 8 waiting list is closed and not accepting applications due to funding cuts, leaving hundreds of applicants waiting on the GBHA's project-based voucher lists instead.
141 Faircloth affordable housing units
The Housing Authority has 141 capped public housing units it can rebuild or reacquire, and it's moving now before Congress potentially resets the cap in October 2027. A consultant will help prepare the complex HUD mixed-finance application.
Sex offender residency approvals in Green Bay neighborhoods
The board decides where registered sex offenders may live in the city. This meeting approved four residences in Districts 6, 7, and 10, with all approvals address-specific. Residents who move again must return to the board.
Future road removal denied on city's far east side
The council refused to erase a planned road connection between Sussex Road and Future Durham Road, keeping the future street corridor on the map after neighbor testimony.
Shipyard II project funding and contracts
The city added a $310,000 inspection contract and boosted the federal grant from $5 million to $7.15 million, keeping the Shipyard phase two on track.