The future of downtown Menominee development sparked a lengthy and at times heated debate during last evenings special city council meeting, as council members considered a proposed Downtown Development Authority Tax Increment Financing, or TID plan.

Supporters say the plan would allow future growth in downtown property tax revenue to be reinvested back into the district for redevelopment, infrastructure upgrades, and economic growth.

But concerns over financial risk, transparency, and long-term impacts on taxpayers dominated much of the discussion.

City Administrator Brett Botbyl, along with DDA leaders and council members, spent nearly two hours breaking down the proposal and possible amendments.

One of the strongest arguments in favor of the plan came from Council Member Joe Dulak, who supported moving forward, but only with tighter protections for taxpayers.

Dulak proposed several major changes to the original plan, including shortening the TIF from 30 years to 20 years, removing garbage tax capture, and adding mandatory review periods every five years.

He also stressed that any future bond request would still need city approval. Meanwhile, opponents argued the city was moving too fast and taking on unnecessary risk.

Council Member Cheryl Haupt questioned whether enough had been accomplished by the DDA in recent years to justify the expansion.

DDA Coordinator Miles Galatdos defended the proposal, saying the TIF is intended to create the financial foundation needed to revitalize downtown and attract investment.

After extensive debate, council members discussed multiple amendments to the proposal, though concerns remained over whether the changes required another public hearing before a final vote.

Ultimately, when discussion ended the council failed to pass the amended plan on a four-to-four tie, council member Josh Jones was absent.