Green Bay council reduces Hartung Street sidewalk invoice to $3,250 after debate over inspections and notice

The Green Bay Common Council voted 9–3 on Feb. 3 to reduce a property owner’s sidewalk assessment for work on Hartung Street to $3,250, down from an invoice of $10,838.40.

The motion, made by Alder Bill Galvin and seconded by Alder Eck, followed public testimony from property owner Steve Kirsten, who said his contractor completed mud jacking and repairs on Sept. 15 after pulling a permit and that the city failed to inspect the work as promised. Kirsten told the council he paid $1,640 to address 23 sections and disputed responsibility for several other sections that he said reflected prior city work.

Director Justin of the Department of Public Works told the council the department’s last written communication to the owner was an email on Sept. 5 that scheduled the city’s contractor to work in the area Sept. 15–19 and advised the owner that under the city’s option 2 he must call or email the city when repairs were complete and ready for final inspection. Justin said staff had not received that final notification, so the city proceeded with its contractor as allowed by the ordinance.

Council debate centered on competing practicalities: several alderpersons described how few private contractors are available within a 30‑day window and urged leniency, while others emphasized the formal written notice requirement in the city’s May letter. Ald. Presley argued the notice is “black and white” and that taxpayers should not absorb avoidable costs. Ald. Johnson and others said the incident exposed process gaps and urged a move toward a documented web form or other logged method to replace informal phone calls and emails.

Ald. Galvin said the owner had provided adequate notice and clearly made an effort to complete the work. ‘‘I don’t think he should be held responsible to pay for what he had repaired,’’ Galvin said. Director Justin said staff estimated roughly 10 of 23 sections would have required additional city work even if the owner’s contractor had completed mud jacking, and that the $3,250 amount represents the DPW’s calculation for 10 sidewalk sections.

The council approved the amendment reducing the owner’s assessed liability to $3,250 (motion passed 9–3). The decision was procedural: the city will apply the modified charge to the outstanding invoice and staff were urged to report back with process changes to improve notification and inspection tracking.

The council did not identify individual alder votes by name on the floor; the board vote was recorded as 9–3. The property owner was present and told the council he could remain in the audience to learn the result.

Next steps: the Department of Public Works will apply the reduction to the invoice and staff indicated they will study process improvements — including clearer written notices and a more robust way for owners or contractors to document completion — to reduce similar disputes.