Residents press council on downtown public restrooms; debate centers on City Hall option vs. public-private lease

During the Nov. 18 public-comment period, residents urged the Common Council to add a City Hall restroom option to the list of alternatives for downtown toilet facilities and raised concerns about public-private leases on the Village Green.

Luke Kavieski proposed converting roughly half the unused garage/parking area behind City Hall into heated, all-season toilet rooms with ADA-accessible stalls and utilities, presenting a conceptual layout and an estimated budget of $305,000. He said the location is convenient to the Village Green, boardwalk and retail areas and stressed the change would meet daily needs and support events without relying solely on porta‑potties. “This is an all season, all year round access, with heat and AC incorporated into it,” he said.

Residents Laura Gibbs and Holly Schick opposed a public-private partnership that would put city land or operations under a private lease. Gibbs said long-term leases (10–25 years) would be too permanent and warned against an at‑grade lease to the adjacent Etcetera building—“a bar does not belong on our city green,” she said—arguing the city should retain ownership and control. Schick told the council it must be a good steward of city land and called such partnerships risky.

Council members asked clarifying questions about how the City Hall option would affect parking and dumpsters and requested the administration maintain multiple options for further study. The mayor noted staff had visited the site and taken dimensions; no formal action on restroom siting or funding occurred, though council members said they would continue to explore options and public input would be part of planning.