By Heather Graves
Editor

GREEN BAY – The City of Green Bay is in the market for a rebrand – the first suggested change in more than 15 years – but not everyone agrees it’s a necessary expense.

Alderpersons voted 9-3 to direct staff to create a request for proposals, or RFP.

Alderpersons John Vander Leest, Jesse Brunette and Chris Wery voted “no.”

District 9 Alderperson Brian Johnson said the initiative is far more than a logo redesign.

“I would reiterate this isn’t a logo redesign, this is a branding initiative – and they are two very different things,” Johnson said. “I do think that has been one of the biggest misconceptions of the proposal, and I think there is still a lot of opportunity here yet to engage the public and perhaps some other key stakeholders.”

He said he also doesn’t see a need to rush the process.

“After having conversations with staff, I think there is a real opportunity here for us to better understand from experts in the field who do this, companies that would potentially bid on this project, to explain to us the value and meaning behind a branding initiative – not a logo – a branding initiative and what it means for the City of Green Bay,” Johnson said. “Specifically, what is it meant to accomplish that currently we are not accomplishing on our own, and I think we can do this without encumbering the funds, because I do believe that is one of the concerns that some folks have, including myself.”

Johnson made the motion to move forward with the RFP process, but delay a decision on the resolution that would have allocated $100,000 of unbudgeted dollars from the 2021 cooperative governance agreement with the Oneida Nation to fund the branding initiative.

“And the purpose of that is, without the resolution, we can’t spend the money,” he said. “But it does allow us to conduct an RFP, get more tangible quotes on what it would cost, not only for the first phase, which is the design but the second phase, which would be the implementation.”

City staff said the estimated cost to the city for consultation services is between $65,000-75,000, with an additional $25,000-35,000 to deploy the plan.

District 3 Alderperson Lynn Gerlach applauded the plan, saying it’s long overdue.

“When I moved back to Green Bay three years ago, I said to myself, ‘Oh, my gosh, they’ve got to do some rebranding here,’” Gerlach said. “People might be tired of hearing this, but it might be worth saying again. I have lived all over the United States. I have lived in 25 different communities and neighborhoods in my adult life, and there is so much in Green Bay that is so unique and so wonderful, and we are just not promoting it like we could.”

Gerlach said she also supports the city taking its time with the process.

“Let’s take our time and do it well,” she said.

However, not everyone thinks a rebranding initiative is the right move.

“Given how quick this idea came out… I think tonight, the council, in my opinion, is really stuck within its own echo chamber,” Brunette said. “I think you are all, I mean this with respect, though I know it is going to sound disrespectful, you all are talking amongst yourselves trying to find a way to justify spending, or looking to get a quote to spend $100,000 that up to a few weeks ago, even a week ago, no one even had this registered on their radar.”

Brunette said a rebranding initiative is not what residents would want that money spent on.

“If you go door-to-door in our community and you say to the average person ‘If we had $100,000 in the City of Green Bay to spend on an issue, what would be your top 10, or 20 things the City of Green Bay should spend that money on?’” he said. “Branding initiative would not crack the top 10 or 20, I’m fairly certain of that… And this City Council, and our leadership, have spoken more about branding initiatives here in the Green Bay City Council meeting than the collective leadership has talked about the real issue on the minds of the public.”

Wery said he’s heard many in the community asking if a branding initiative is necessary.

“Putting that much money into something, it should not just be a feel-good endeavor,” he said. “It really needs to have some tangible expectations. So, I’ll be looking for that. If those don’t appear, I won’t be sold on it, and most people won’t.”

Brunette submitted a communication at the end of Tuesday’s meeting requesting the Finance Committee to draft a resolution to allocate the unspent revenue from the 2021 cooperative governance agreement with the Oneida Nation to pay down city debt or be put toward hiring a civilian crime prevention specialist with the Green Bay Police Department for 2022.