Brown County Board Chair Pat Buckley has unveiled a new alternate location to move coal piles from downtown Green Bay after an initial site failed to gain county approval.
On April 28, Buckley revealed the new site, following “failed negotiations” between C. Reiss Co. and the city regarding another location that was not the Pulliam property. Details about the first proposed site remain undisclosed.
Buckley expressed frustration over the negotiations, saying, “We’ve spent a lot of time and effort trying to reach a fair agreement for everyone involved.”
The new 12.7-acre site, located across Bylsby Avenue from Robindale Energy, is connected to a 3.7-acre parcel owned by Robindale, which acquired C. Reiss in 2016. The site would allow C. Reiss to retain its property south of the Mason Street bridge. The move comes as $13 million in state grants hang in the balance.
The county previously rejected a counteroffer from C. Reiss to relocate the coal piles after the company declined lease terms set by the County Board in December. Buckley criticized C. Reiss for making “unreasonable demands” and taking advantage of the county’s weakened bargaining position.
To secure the grants from the state Department of Administration, the county must reach an agreement with C. Reiss and the city. So far, the Port of Green Bay has only been able to request $2 million of a $15 million grant, as negotiations have stalled since late March.
In response, C. Reiss CEO Keith Haselhoff criticized the county’s new proposal, accusing it of trying to “unilaterally limit any negotiations.” He reiterated that an agreement for the Pulliam property was needed, based on the grant’s application, and emphasized that C. Reiss had made “multiple above-market offers” for the site, which would yield a strong return on the county’s investment.
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