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Green Bay committee delays 2026 levy-supported borrowing and CIP to joint meeting; staff to provide prioritized equipment lists
Summary
Finance Committee members reviewed debt capacity, TID limits and a proposed 2026 levy-supported borrowing plan, heard extended testimony about aging DPW and Parks equipment, and voted to hold formal action until a Nov. 13 joint personnel/finance meeting so staff can provide prioritized, department-level equipment lists and the ARPA MOU.
The Green Bay Finance Committee on Nov. 4 reviewed the proposed 2026 levy-supported borrowing request and the 2026–2030 capital improvement plan but decided to hold formal approval until a joint personnel/finance meeting on Nov. 13 so staff can return with prioritized equipment lists and additional documentation.
Finance staff provided background on debt capacity and TID limits, noting that the city’s current outstanding general-obligation borrowing sits comfortably below statutory debt limits and that the 2026 levy-supported borrowing recommendation had been reduced from earlier drafts to keep annual levy-supported borrowing near $16.3 million. Staff said some items previously listed as borrowing would instead be funded from fund balances or unspent bond proceeds.
Committee members and department leaders described a long-running backlog of deferred maintenance and aging fleet equipment. Street Superintendent Josh Brasco and city employee Jared Kane described repeated breakdowns, safety impacts and reliance on rental equipment during the busiest seasons. "We're at a threshold here where it's crucial that we have [replacement equipment]," Brasco said, citing snow- and leaf-collection demands.
Alders asked staff to supply a simple, prioritized list of the next equipment needs across major departments so the committee could judge trade-offs between parks, public works and public safety. The committee also discussed the timing of multi-year projects; parks staff said some phase-one work would require two-year funding commitments to award construction contracts.
Rather than finalize the borrowing or the CIP, the committee voted unanimously to hold the levy-supported borrowing request and the CIP report for formal approval at the Nov. 13 joint meeting, and directed staff to include departmental priority lists as part of the meeting packet.
