Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the Village need a new building when the current facility on Lakeview Dr. was just built in 2000?

In 1998 the Town Board Commissioned a space needs study that was completed by Sommerville, Inc. Based on operations in 1998 and the population projections of 9,050 people in Suamico by 2020, the study recommended that the Town construct a facility to meet current and future needs of 12,500 square feet. The facility that was built in 2000 was roughly one-half of the size recommended in the study or 7,000 sf.

In 2001, the Town Board Commissioned a facility study on the needs of the Public works Department that was completed by Community Development Systems, division of Martenson & Eisele, Inc. That study recommended that a new building of 20,000 to 25,000 square feet of useable space be constructed in a central location west of Highway 41. That building was never constructed.

Nine years later Suamico has a population of 10,945 people, a fairly comprehensive list of municipal services and has outgrown its many current locations and is in dire need of space, especially in the area of Public Works.

How did the Village determine the proposed location? (Corner of Wood and Velp)
The Board carefully considered expansion on the current village hall site. Several factors made the existing site less than desirable for the new facility including the need to dispatch police and public works vehicles in relation to the location of the Bay Harbor Elementary School and the need for access for municipal vehicles to Velp Avenue and School Lane area to maximize efficiency in service delivery.

The 2007 Municipal Facilities Master Plan, conducted by SEH, Inc. identified a need for a parcel of property of no less than 12 acres in size located within the central section of the village to enhance response times. Four (4) properties on Highway B, one (1) on Sunset Beach Road and one (1) on St. Pat’s were identified as prospective sites. Unfortunately, we did not have willing sellers for four of the sites and the fifth site was bisected by a rail line. We also approached a landowner on West Deerfield about a potential site. We could not come to terms on the price.

Finally in late summer the Village became aware that the property at 12787 Velp was being offered for sale through a real estate listing company. We explored the opportunity and discovered that several developers were also bidding on the property. We made a full asking price offer in mid-August to ensure that this property would come under the control of the Village.

How much did the Village pay for the property?
On September 9, 2008 the Village paid the property owner $389,900 for 13.7 acre site on Velp Ave.

What is going to be located on this site?
The intention is that the public works, recreation, police and municipal court operations will be moved to this site in phase I. Phase II will include the relocation of the village general offices. Depending on economy of scale, phases I and II may occur simultaneously.

What is not going to be located on this site?
Recycling operations and the Fire Department.

What is happening to the existing buildings?
Plans are being made to re-use the existing sites for other village purposes or find suitable tenants.

Will noise be an issue?
We plan to take measures to minimize noise at the site. Public Works operations are normally 7 AM to 3 PM, Monday through Friday. In the event of a snowstorm, the village trucks are made ready the night before. Residents may hear the back-up signals of the plow truck as they reload with sand and salt early in the morning.

How will this project affect my taxes?
The Village Board has been working to stabilize the tax rate attributable to debt in preparation for the construction of this building. Currently the portion of the village tax rate attributable to debt is $1.72. Based on an evaluation prepared by Ehlers and Associates, the Village’s Financial Advisor, which takes into account the debt for this building project as well as the needed debt for capital projects for the next five years, the tax rate for debt should remain stable at $1.72 per thousand.

What will be impact on traffic?
Impact on traffic will be minimal. It is planned that the Police and Public Works vehicles will be entering and exiting the site off of Wood Lane. General business traffic for village operations averages about 40 cars per day and will probably exit and enter off of Velp Ave.

What are the village’s next steps?
The Village is working with Dimension-IV a local firm to design a building that will meet the Village’s needs now and well into the future. The campus approach to the municipal facility will allow residents to access all municipal services with one stop except for fire related business. The campus is planned to include a neighborhood park similar to the one located at Whisper Ridge as well as preservation of the historic Robert Vickery Farm site on the property.

For additional information and further questions, please contact Karen Matze, Village Administrator at 434-2212.