The Sturgeon Bay Common Council took several actions Tuesday night while getting a glowing financial review before entering in the 2025 budget discussion meeting on September 30.

The council first heard from a Robert W. Baird representative who reported on the final pricing of the $3,360,000 general obligation promissory note issue.  He said Moody’s rated Sturgeon Bay favorably with a Double-A Two rating and a 3.41 true interest cost.

The policy for sidewalk installation, financing, and replacement, developed to advance the sidewalk component of the City’s transportation infrastructure, was approved based on a local transportation board recommendation.  This will eliminate the assessment of sidewalk costs to specific property owners in Sturgeon Bay. 

A Finance/Purchasing & Building Committee recommendation on a purchase agreement with GFL Environment was approved at a price of $10,500 per acre for about three acres of city property recently purchased from the Neville family. GFL would use the additional land for container storage and not for any waste.

The settlement agreement between Wal-Mart and the City of Sturgeon Bay was formally accepted by the common council, avoiding legal action over the company’s tax assessment.

The council denied Stone Harbor Resort & Conference Center's request for a deck that had already been built on city property without an inspection or permit. Dan Williams made a motion that the deck must be taken down within 30 days and that a new plan needs to be agreed upon between Stone Harbor and City staff. That motion was approved 5-0, with Kirsten Reeths abstaining from the vote.

The final business item for the Sturgeon Bay Common Council was discussing the Granary Development Agreement. City Administrator Josh Van Lieshout informed the council that the Sturgeon Bay Historical Society will need a temporary occupancy permit on Friday after a fire inspection of the Sturgeon Bay Granary before the soft opening planned for Saturday can happen.