A packed gallery of over 40 people in Council Chambers at City Hall greeted the Sturgeon Bay Common Council on Tuesday night as they addressed an extended list of 25 agenda items over two hours

.  
The first piece of business was the presentation of a certificate of appreciation to Dennis Statz for his years of service as District 2 alderperson. The newly elected council member Matthew Huston was then seated to replace Statz.

During public comments, two local professional anglers asked the council to reconsider the proposed elimination of weigh-ins during fishing tournaments at city parks. Four people spoke against the proposed sidewalks and assessment for installation along S. 9th Avenue, South Hudson Avenue, and South Hudson Court.

Before the vote, the council talked extensively about the process of doing special assessments, namely new sidewalks, and the need to make it fairer and more consistent in the future. The council then approved the recommendation by the Local Transportation Board to remove the planned sidewalks from the east side of South Hudson Avenue and South Hudson Court and table the preliminary resolution for levy special assessments for sidewalk installation on the three streets until a better solution is found.

Another long discussion centered around the proposed recommendation by the Park and Recreation Committee/Board to change the fishing tournament rules in city parks to not allow for weigh-ins on land, making only the weigh-on-the-water format an option for tournaments utilizing the city parks. The city and the Department of Natural Resources collaborated to update the policy to omit references to spawning and fishing activities and focus more on what occurs on dry land. However, after the original proposal was amended, leaving out rule 1, which stated the “city park property shall not be used as a weigh-in site,” the council approved the amended, revised rules by a 4-2 vote with one abstention. This means the weigh-in option on land for future tournaments will still be allowed in city parks.

In other business, Dan Williams was re-elected as the Council President, and resolutions for designating public depositories and the official newspaper were approved. After a brief discussion, the increase in Sidewalk Café Permit Free without alcohol, which would go up from $55 to $110, was unanimously approved.

Second readings for rezoning parcel properties located on the corner of South Columbia Avenue, Highway 42-57, and Cove Road were also approved.