O
Manitowoc
← All officials
WD

District 5 Council Member· D5; term ended with April 2026 election, successor Benzinger term begins 2026-04-21 (city page). Start not sourced.

William DeBaets

Manitowoc

No biography on file yet.

At a glance

News mentions
0

Term ending Apr 21, 2026.

Voice

Meetings spoken in
3
Total speaking time
4:31
Avg per meeting
1:30
Segments
71

Want every word DeBaets has said?

The OpenCity MCP for Claude.ai answers questions like “what has DeBaets said about housing this year” with one prompt — full speaking history, with YouTube timestamps.

Top issues during term (20)

high↑Apr 2026[57]

Sewer and Street Infrastructure Projects

Change orders net to about $5,281 more, with two projects finishing under budget.

high→Feb 2026[44]

School voucher cost transparency on tax bills

No direct cost; informational change to tax bills only.

high→Feb 2026[28]

Road projects and infrastructure borrowing

These projects are the main drivers of the $7.84 million borrowing request.

high↑Feb 2026[23]

Franklin Street Reconstruction

This payment was $16,951.74 toward the reconstruction.

high↑Jan 2026[21]

Former Mirro Site Environmental Remediation

No added cost from the change order; the final remediation payment was $145,011.19.

medium→Mar 2026[21]

Maritime Metro Fare Increases

Bus fare increases are expected to be requested in October.

high↑Mar 2026[20]

TID 22 — River Point District Development Outlook

Cleanup north of Chicago Street is covered by grant funding; a $500,000 EPA grant application is planned for the remaining site.

medium↑Feb 2026[20]

Manitowoc Skatepark Expansion Completion

Final payments to the skatepark contractor totaled $97,809.00.

high↑Mar 2026[11]

2026 Concrete Paving Program

Adds $51,710 to the 2026 concrete paving program contract.

medium↓Jan 2026[10]

Silver Creek Stream Restoration

No local tax funding — the project is funded entirely by grants.

medium↓Feb 2026[6]

Separate WPDES permit for sewer collection system

Roughly $380,000 combined for sewer televising and relining.

medium↑Jan 2026[6]

Charter ordinance on primary elections

Saves clerk's office staff time by removing redundant annual election paperwork.

high↓Apr 2026[5]

City Acquisition of Madison School Property

Purchase terms were in the resolution packet; no figure was stated on the floor.

medium↓Jan 2026[3]

Council Chambers audio/video upgrade

The project will cost somewhere between $178,500 and $204,477 depending on which bid is accepted.

low↓Apr 2026[1]

Police and fire promotions and National Police Week

low↓Apr 2026[1]

County fair extended music and beer hours

low↓Apr 2026[1]

2027 paving request for Summit Street area

medium↓Apr 2026[1]

City government reorganization

high↓Apr 2026[1]

Former Mirro site redevelopment with Gorman & Company

Financial terms are in the term sheet; the agreement moves the site toward redevelopment and future tax base.

low↓Apr 2026[1]

Telephone utility pedestal conditions

Decisions during term (93)

Recorded while DeBaets was in office — not necessarily decisions they moved, spoke to, or voted on.

approved9-0Apr 20, 2026

Approval of Consent Agenda

approved9-0Apr 20, 2026

Special Events report — summer events (26-0344)

approved9-0Apr 20, 2026

Reorganization ordinances 26-0353 through 26-0361 and scrivener's-error resolution 26-0362

approved9-0Apr 20, 2026

Offer to Purchase Madison School (26-0365)

approved9-0Apr 20, 2026

Braun Building Center claim settlement (26-0089)

approved9-0Apr 20, 2026

Resolution to Increase Court Costs (26-0287)

approved9-0Apr 20, 2026

Ordinances 26-0288, 26-0289, 26-0290 (enhanced penalties, RWRAM, licenses)

approved9-0Apr 20, 2026

FASTER Fleet Management Software agreement (26-0291)

approved9-0Apr 20, 2026

2026 Budget Amendment — General Fund (26-0292)

approved9-0Apr 20, 2026

Gorman and Company development agreement — former Mirro site (26-0293)

approved9-0Apr 20, 2026

Expo/Fair extended music hours (26-0324)

approved9-0Apr 20, 2026

Board of Canvassers statement — spring election (26-0327)

approved9-0Apr 20, 2026

Unpaid intern for City Attorney's Office (26-0267)

approvedVoted yes9-0Apr 20, 2026

Hire seasonal employees related to officials (26-0273)

approvedVoted yes9-0Apr 20, 2026

Hire Brock Wetenkamp as Director of Parks and Recreation (26-0350)

approved9-0Apr 20, 2026

Job description resolutions — department reorganizations (26-0366 to 26-0369)

approved9-0Apr 20, 2026

Employee Policy Manual revision (26-0370)

approved9-0Apr 20, 2026

Public/private school snow removal discussion (26-0187)

approved9-0Apr 20, 2026

Popp Enterprises 2027 paving request (26-0255)

approved9-0Apr 20, 2026

Maritime Metro Transit Cold Weather Shutdown Policy (26-0259)

Voting record (42)

42 yes0 no

Oldest to newest — hover a bar for the item.

Voted yesApr 20, 2026

Hire seasonal employees related to officials (26-0273)

Voted yesApr 20, 2026

Hire Brock Wetenkamp as Director of Parks and Recreation (26-0350)

Voted yesMar 17, 2026

Moved by Sitkiewitz, seconded by Norell, that this Resolution be adopted.

Voted yesMar 17, 2026

Moved by Sitkiewitz, seconded by Norell, that this Resolution be adopted.

Voted yesMar 17, 2026

Moved by Sitkiewitz, seconded by Reckelberg, that this Request be approved as presented.

Voted yesMar 17, 2026

Moved by Cummings, seconded by Anderson, to accept the Consent Agenda Items and recommendations of the various committees.

Voted yesMar 17, 2026

Moved by Cummings, seconded by Norell, that this Report be approved.

Voted yesMar 17, 2026

Moved by Sitkiewitz, seconded by Dunbar, that this Agreement be approved.

Voted yesMar 17, 2026

Moved by Sitkiewitz, seconded by Reckelberg, that this Agreement be accepted.

Voted yesMar 17, 2026

Moved by Schlei, seconded by DeBaets, that this Resolution be adopted.

Voted yesMar 17, 2026

Moved by Sitkiewitz, seconded by Reckelberg, to approve the request and instruct City Staff to complete all items related to the Right of First Refusal.

Voted yesMar 17, 2026

Moved by Sitkiewitz, seconded by Reckelberg, that this Request be approved as presented.

Voted yesMar 17, 2026

Moved by Sitkiewitz, seconded by Norell, that this Request be approved as presented.

Voted yesMar 17, 2026

Moved by Schlei, seconded by Anderson, that this Resolution be adopted.

Voted yesMar 17, 2026

Moved by Schlei, seconded by DeBaets, that this Report be accepted and placed on file.

Voted yesMar 17, 2026

Moved by Schlei, seconded by DeBaets, that this Amendment be approved.

Voted yesMar 17, 2026

Moved by Reckelberg, seconded by DeBaets, that this Agreement be approved.

Voted yesMar 17, 2026

A motion was made by Cummings, seconded by Sitkiewitz, that this meeting be adjourned at 7:02 p.m.

Voted yesFeb 16, 2026

that this Report be accepted and placed on file

Voted yesFeb 16, 2026

that this Resolution be adopted

Voted yesFeb 16, 2026

that this Ordinance be adopted

Voted yesFeb 16, 2026

to accept the Consent Agenda Items and recommendations of the various committees

Voted yesFeb 16, 2026

that this Agreement be approved

Voted yesFeb 16, 2026

to approve staff to accept and sign Offer to Purchase and enter into negotiations on term sheet

Voted yesFeb 16, 2026

to approve the annual review of the Conditional Use Permit to McMullen & Pitz Construction Company for the operation of a Contractor's Equipment Storage Yard pursuant to the attached amended condition

Voted yesFeb 16, 2026

that this meeting be adjourned at 6:54 p.m.

Voted yesFeb 16, 2026

that this Resolution be adopted

Voted yesFeb 16, 2026

that this Resolution be adopted

Voted yesFeb 16, 2026

that this Resolution be adopted

Voted yesFeb 16, 2026

that this Agreement be approved

Voted yesFeb 16, 2026

to re-approve the 2024 Adaptive Re-Use Conditional Use Permit subject to the attached amended conditions dated February 16, 2026

Voted yesFeb 16, 2026

that this Ordinance be adopted with the correction of the scrivener's error

Voted yesFeb 16, 2026

that this Report be approved

Voted yesFeb 16, 2026

that this Agreement be approved

Voted yesFeb 16, 2026

that this Resolution be adopted

Voted yesFeb 16, 2026

that this Agreement be approved

Voted yesFeb 16, 2026

that this Resolution be adopted

Voted yesFeb 16, 2026

that this Request be approved contingent upon review by City Attorney

Voted yesFeb 16, 2026

to approve the re-issuance of the Conditional Use Permit to Lotus Recovery Homes Inc., for a Transitional Housing Use located at 419 Park Street including an amendment to condition "E" and elimination

Voted yesFeb 16, 2026

to approve the re-issuance of the Conditional Use Permit to Lotus Recovery Homes, Inc. for a Transitional Housing Use located at 1111 Marshall Street including the elimination of Condition "H" regardi

Voted yesFeb 16, 2026

to approve the re-issuance of the Conditional Use Permit to Lotus Recovery Homes Inc., for a Transitional Housing Use located at 404, 406 and 408 N. Lake Street including the elimination of condition

Voted yesFeb 16, 2026

to approve the re-issuance of the Conditional Use Permit to THe Haven of Manitowoc County for a Transitional Housing Use located at 826 S 19th Street including and the elimination of condition "E"