Germantown board approves $50,791 demolition contract for Flower Source site amid protests over purchases and funding

The Germantown Village Board voted to hire D & H Demolition to remove unsafe structures at the former Flower Source site, approving a $50,791 contract at its March 3 meeting.

The vote followed extended citizen input and board discussion about the village’s recent purchases in the Pilgrim Road area and how they will be financed. Village staff and several trustees said the buildings present a safety hazard and recommended prompt removal; some trustees and multiple residents urged the board to require the current owner to pay for demolition or to delay action until other financing was secured.

Village administrator Steve Krekelow told the board that the closing on two Flower Source-related parcels was scheduled this week and that the village would take title at that time. He recommended contracting for demo now so the village could act quickly to address loose glass, vandalism and fires reported on the property. “They do present a safety hazard,” Krekelow said during discussion.

Resident comments at the meeting were sharply critical of the land purchases and the board’s process. One resident, speaking during citizen input, said the community had not been given adequate notice about the purchases and questioned using public funds: “They took a million dollars from our fund and I was told it was taken out of reserves of our tax money,” the resident said. Sarah Larson of Butternut Road later accused village staff and consultants of creating the appearance of public engagement while decisions were already made: “The representation by the village and its consultants on the village center has been a farce of trying to create the illusion that the project wasn’t all preplanned,” Larson told the board.

Board members debated who should pay. Trustee Jane Miller moved to amend the demolition motion to require the current owner to pay; that amendment failed on a hand vote. Supporters of immediate demolition said boarding and securing the greenhouse and house on the property had not prevented repeat trespass and vandalism. Trustee Terry Kaminski argued the board should proceed: “We’re going to be purchasing this property this week. We should immediately follow-up, assuming that purchase goes through, and demolish the stuff on that site, clean it up, make it look decent, and then we're prepared to move forward.”

Administration said the $50,791 would be charged to an account previously set up to track costs related to the Pilgrim/Mequon redevelopment effort and initially paid from village cash reserves. Krekelow said the board previously directed staff to begin the process of creating a tax increment district; if a TID is approved later, the village could seek reimbursement from TID funds. Krekelow told trustees the village’s cash-reserve figure is roughly $6 million; others at the meeting said the finance director had a more current figure near $8 million, a discrepancy noted during debate.

The board approved the contract in a roll-call vote; several trustees voted in favor and at least two voted against. After the vote, trustees asked staff to handle necessary pre-demolition steps, including hazardous-material inspection, well abandonment and septic pumping. Krekelow said lead/asbestos testing quotes were under $1,000 and that abatement would be brought back for board approval if it materially changed costs.

Context and related transactions: the board previously approved purchase agreements for three parcels in the Pilgrim/Mequon area. Krekelow referenced the purchase prices in the February packet: $1,700,000 for the Flower Source parcel, $700,000 for an adjacent vacant 1-acre parcel, and $5,000,000 for a property currently leased to Ascension/St. Mary’s (the latter closing tentatively scheduled for June 30). Krekelow said the initial closings this week would be paid from village cash reserves and could be reimbursed from a TID, if and when the board approves one.

Board members and residents raised additional implementation questions during the meeting: who would pump and cap the well, who would empty septic tanks, and whether landscaping after demolition would be handled by public works or outside contractors. Krekelow said those items would be addressed as separate, smaller contracts if needed and that the board would be brought back to approve any materially larger costs.

The board’s action clears the way for demolition once required environmental and public-safety steps are completed; trustees said they expect cleanup to make the property safer and more marketable for future redevelopment.