A special meeting of the Sturgeon Bay City Council to consider a contract to dismantle, salvage and store the old grain elevator on the city’s west side waterfront has been scheduled for Monday at noon in the council chambers at city hall. The city has solicited bids to disassemble the 116-year old granary and several were received this week. Meanwhile, the Sturgeon Bay Historical Society is calling on the city council to reject the bids, alleging that the bid specifications ignore the language and intent of a resolution adopted on November 21st. That measure indicated the building should be dismantled and the salvaged materials stored for up to a year during which time private organizations could come forward with proposals on how best to rebuild the granary at its current or other locations.
On October 17th, Fire Chief Tim Dietman issued a demolition order for the structure, indicating that it was unstable and a threat to people and property. The 30-day demolition deadline set by the chief has come and gone, although an extension was granted. However, it appears that no citations will be issued if there is movement toward a resolution of the underlying reasons for the Fire Chief’s order. While the Sturgeon Bay Historical Society has not issued an official notice, a published report has indicated that the organization could sue the city if the council votes to move forward with the dismantling project.
