Manitowoc council approves licenses, park funding and awards PCB cleanup contract; seasonal market brought in-house

The Manitowoc Common Council on Jan. 20 approved a series of routine licenses and resolutions, authorized $100,000 for a skatepark project at Miracles Park to be spent in 2026, and awarded a contract to remove PCB‑impacted soil at the former Miro site using a federal grant, the council said.

The actions were taken mostly on the consent agenda and in committee reports. Council President Bill Schley presided; the meeting opened with an oath and badge pinning for Police Officer Timothy Klinker and proceeded to public input and committee reports.

Why it matters: Several of the approvals affect city projects and spending in coming fiscal years, and the PCB remediation uses a federal cleanup grant the city said it received. The decisions set funding and contracting directions that city departments will implement and that will affect downtown parks and a former industrial site.

The council approved the entire consent agenda by unanimous vote and adopted committee reports covering licensing, personnel and public works items. Among specific approvals:

• Operator licenses: The finance committee recommended denying an operator license for D. Jimenez under Wisconsin Statute 111.335; the council carried the committee recommendation unanimously. The council approved a two‑year operator license for A. Franz, also citing Wisconsin Statute 111.335, with Alderman Tim Bolt recorded as abstaining; the clerk announced the motion carried 8 yes, 0 no, 1 abstention.

• Skatepark funding: The council approved Document 59, authorizing $100,000 to be expended in 2026 for the Manitowoc Skatepark project at Miracles Park and to enter a fundraising agreement with the Skate Park and West Foundation. The motion carried unanimously.

• PCB remediation contract: The council accepted the Board of Public Works recommendation (Document 55) to award the base bid plus alternate No. 1 for removal of PCB‑impacted soil at the former Miro site (project WO2510) to Horizon Construction and Exploration LLC. The mayor noted the work will be funded through a federal grant the city received, referenced in the meeting as a $1,800,000 federal grant. The awarding motion carried unanimously.

• Other personnel and policy actions: The council adopted changes to the City of Manitowoc compensation plan, authorized a seasonal farmers market manager position (bringing the role in‑house rather than contracted), revised the employee policy manual, and authorized settlement of a workers’ compensation claim; committee chairs presented the documents and the measures passed without recorded opposition.

On the farmers market position, Alderman Eric Sitkowitz said the change shifts the manager from a contracted employee to an in‑house position to “bring a little bit more synergy to the market” and to help recruit vendors already expressing interest.

• Municipal water agreements: The public infrastructure committee recommended, and the council approved, municipal water installation agreements with various property owners (Document 50). The motion carried unanimously.

Votes at a glance (selected actions): • Consent agenda — approved (unanimous) • Document 19 — recommend denial of operator license for D. Jimenez (adopted, unanimous) • Document 53 — approve two‑year operator license for A. Franz (adopted; 8 yes, 0 no, 1 abstain — Alderman Tim Bolt) • Document 59 — Manitowoc Skatepark project at Miracles Park, authorize $100,000 in 2026 and fundraising agreement (adopted, unanimous) • Document 55 — award removal of PCB‑impacted soil at former Miro site to Horizon Construction and Exploration LLC (base bid + alternate No. 1) funded by federal grant (adopted, unanimous) • Document 20 (compensation plan), Document 49 (seasonal farmers market manager), Document 52 (employee policy manual), Document 58 (workers’ comp settlement), Document 50 (municipal water installation agreements) — all adopted as recommended (unanimous unless otherwise noted above).

What the council did not do: There were no public hearings. Public input was opened and closed without substantive items carried into formal agenda debate. Several items were presented and adopted on committee recommendations with little substantive floor debate.

Next steps: Council committees will implement the adopted actions. The finance committee announced its next meeting for Feb. 4; the Board of Public Works item on the Miro site proceeds to contracting steps with the awarded firm, and the skatepark project will be funded in 2026 as approved.