Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Economic Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Green Bay committee approves $752,843 in ARPA funds for JBS Urban Barn; Willow asked to raise $250,000
Summary
After extended discussion about costs, grant conditions and alternative uses for a $752,843 ARPA site-acquisition account, the Green Bay Finance Committee voted unanimously to allocate the funds toward construction of the JBS Urban Barn with restrooms, requesting that nonprofit partner Willow try to raise the remaining $250,000 gap.
The Green Bay Finance Committee voted unanimously Nov. 4 to allocate $752,843 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) site-acquisition funds toward construction of the JBS Urban Barn and restrooms, with a formal request that Willow raise roughly $250,000 to cover an estimated remaining gap.
The committee opened detailed discussion after staff presented a preliminary design and engineer estimate that put construction of the barn — which would include two family restrooms, a food production area, cold storage and a pack-wash station — at roughly $1,000,000. Director Ellenbecker told the committee that the city currently holds approximately $752,843 in the ARPA account according to the MOU submitted to the U.S. Treasury and that ARPA funds must be spent by Dec. 2026 if used for this project.
Tara Yang, a consultant for Willow, said the nonprofit has secured federal grants that fund equipment planned for the facility and that Willow would undertake a short fundraising campaign to raise the roughly $250,000 shortfall if the city commits the ARPA dollars. "Every dollar invested by the city leverages several additional dollars," Yang said, describing the project as a public–private investment that would support small-scale producers and reduce food waste by providing a value-added processing space.
Committee members pressed staff on cost drivers and alternatives. A consultant’s estimate identified the bathroom component at about $100,000 and the barn’s footprint at roughly 3,500 square feet. Dan, the city manager overseeing the project, told the committee the design had been scaled down from earlier iterations and that eliminating bathrooms or production space would materially change the facility’s operations. He also said change orders on the broader JBS site project have already consumed a substantial portion of funds previously allocated to the JBS work and that additional money may be needed for the overall site to be finished.
Several alders said they supported the project but raised concerns that the ARPA site-acquisition account initially targeted affordable housing land acquisition and that diverting the funds reduces that dedicated balance. Alder Galvin and Alder Johnson said they would continue exploring whether the ARPA funds could be structured as a short-term loan or paired with TIF or other financing for housing while preserving the barn’s timeline. Finance staff agreed to provide the underlying MOU language and other documentation to the committee.
After public comment from Willow and city operations staff urging timely approval because of the federal ARPA spending deadline, alder members made and seconded a motion to allocate $752,843 to the JBS Urban Barn project with the request that Willow raise $250,000 as a private match. The committee approved the motion unanimously.
The committee directed staff to provide the ARPA MOU and related paperwork and to return to council with any requested clarifications. No formal binding condition was added to the allocation requiring Willow to meet the $250,000 target; the motion states the city’s funding is contingent only on the committee vote and the ARPA spending timeline.
The city will now proceed with consultant direction to complete plans and specifications if the funding path remains intact and the council ratifies the committee recommendation.
