Finance committee refers $750,000 ARPA request for urban farm building back to staff

The Green Bay Finance Committee on March 11 voted unanimously to refer back to staff a request to dedicate $750,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for construction of an "urban barn" and public restrooms at the new GBS Park.

The request, presented by Natalie Bomstead, executive director of Willow, calls for a modest multiuse barn to store farm equipment, provide limited refrigerated storage and house a small heated room for minimal food processing. Bomstead told the committee, "We are in partnership and in contract with the city of Green Bay to help, really realize an area, around kind of that urban farm," and said Willow has secured a grant to buy some of the equipment and staff capacity to operate the space for at least three years: "Willow has already secured an additional grant that will allow for us to continue to support this work, over the next 3 years."

City staff described the project's history and budget constraints. The parks project had originally been bid in three construction contracts; the third contract — the community/food-prep building — came in at roughly $4 million and was not awarded because the JBS/GBS project budget lacked the funds. Staff said the currently proposed building would be much smaller and more economical, and that a design-build quote for a pole-shed-style structure ran roughly $150,000 to $250,000 (staff cautioned publicly bidding could raise that estimate). The proposed building would also include a small number of family restrooms; city staff said there are currently no bathrooms budgeted for the site.

Alderman (Alder) Johnson pressed the committee on whether ARPA is the right source, saying in part, "This is a million dollars that was originally set aside for site acquisitions to eliminate a barrier that oftentimes is the case when you don't have site control." Johnson asked staff to clarify other possible funding approaches — including whether a development agreement, TIF (tax-increment financing) options, or private fundraising could be used instead — before the committee committed ARPA dollars.

Committee members raised three recurring concerns: (1) the project budget and the lack of detailed hard costs and an operating plan, (2) the long-term maintenance and city operating costs if the city owns the building, and (3) whether alternative funding or a public–private management arrangement (for example a development agreement or a contract with Willow to manage operations) could reduce or replace city capital spending. Several council members voiced support for the concept but asked for a phased plan and more financial detail before authorizing ARPA funds.

The committee's referral motion, made by Alder Johnson, directed staff to return with more information on the full project budget, funding alternatives (including TIF and private fundraising), a proposed management/operations plan, and a phased implementation timeline. The motion carried unanimously.

Background and specifics discussed at the meeting: staff said the larger GBS project has a $5 million grant and $5 million in bonding for infrastructure and park elements and a roughly $500,000 donation; the previously bid third contract (the larger community/building scope) was not affordable after bids came in above engineer estimates. Willow described the proposed building program as three parts: (1) a farmers-market/multipurpose activation room (minimal to no heating), (2) a garage/storage area for equipment and parks storage, and (3) a roughly 300–330 sq ft insulated, heated room for minimal processing and cold-chain equipment. Staff said there are roughly 4 to 7 farmable acres adjacent to the site.

Next steps: staff will prepare a more detailed packet that answers the committee's questions about hard cost estimates, ongoing maintenance liabilities, potential TIF use or development-agreement structures, and private fundraising opportunities. The Finance Committee's next meeting is scheduled for March 25, 2025, at 4:30 p.m.