Gov. Tony Evers OKs emergency repairs to Potawatomi State Park tower

MADISON - The office of Gov. Tony Evers announced Monday it will approve funds for emergency repairs to the now-closed historic observation tower in Potawatomi State Park outside Sturgeon Bay.

Evers' order comes almost two weeks after state Sen. André Jacque and Rep. Joel Kitchens, who represent Door County in the Wisconsin Legislature, sent Evers a letter asking for immediate repairs on the 91-year-old wooden tower that closed to public use in 2018, a request the two have made several times in the years since the closure.

What's not yet clear is the extent of the repairs that will be executed or the cost, which could be as much as $500,000 under a state statute for emergency repairs to state-owned properties.

Built in 1931, the 75-foot-tall wooden tower overlooking the bay of Green Bay was closed because an inspection found severe wood decay and deterioration that prompted concerns over its condition and stability, leading the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to plan to tear down the tower after an initial study said it was unsalvageable.

The Sturgeon Bay Historical Society Foundation subsequently commissioned a study that said the tower could be repaired. After several years of discussion and a recent engineering study commissioned by the state, Evers' proposed budget for 2023-25 includes funds for restoration of the tower along with the addition of a ramp for accessibility and added adjacent vehicle parking.

But the timeline of the project, if passed as written in the budget, would see almost two more years pass before any work begins, in January of 2025, hopefully wrapping up in the spring of 2026.

Spurred by local governments, the historical society and other citizens, Jacque and Kitchens have been requesting approval from the governor's office of emergency repairs to the tower since soon after its closure and have accused the administration of avoiding a decision. Their joint letter of March 8 emphasized that, given wind and weather conditions on the Door Peninsula, the tower likely would fall or need to be taken down before work could begin on it under the schedule proposed by the state.

“The effort to save the Potawatomi State Park Observation Tower is an example of public engagement at its best, bringing together citizens, local governments and community groups such as the Sturgeon Bay Historical Society Foundation,” Jacque, R-De Pere, said in a joint news release with Kitchens on Monday.

Under State Statute 16.855(16)(b)2, the governor has the power to authorize emergency repairs on state-owned properties at a cost of up to $500,000 without needing approval from the state Legislature or other governing bodies. The governor does need to report such emergency work to the Wisconsin Building Commission at its next meeting. Jacque, who sits on the commission, pointed out several times in press releases that the governor has had this option to repair the tower instead of trying to write it into a state budget.

“That was the point we made to (Evers) in the letter we wrote to him initially," Jacque said in an interview Tuesday with the Advocate. "I appreciate that the governor is finally recognizing the immediate need. The first concern we (Kitchens and I) were hearing from constituents was the tower collapsing before it could be repaired.”

Along with its age, the tower carries historic significance as the first purpose-built recreational observation tower constructed in a Wisconsin State Park, State Forest, or State Recreational Area. Following its closure, the Sturgeon Bay Historical Society Foundation led a successful effort to have it placed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places.

Jacque told the Advocate he doesn't know yet how much of the $500,000 available the state will spend on the project, and a timeline has not yet been given. He said those are the governor's call, and his understanding is that the state is planning to stabilize the tower so it doesn't collapse and do some repair work, but not necessarily with the intention of immediately reopening it until the fate of the restoration plan in the proposed budget is finalized.

That plan features restoration of the tower with a helical (spiral) ramp that includes landings at all three levels of the tower, which came with an estimate of just over $6 million in a DNR presentation made in January.

Kitchens, R-Sturgeon Bay, reiterated in the news release what he told the Advocate two weeks ago: that he believes the $500,000 available should be able to cover the emergency repairs, and any work must fall in line with the tower's status as a registered historic place, which the state is responsible for protecting.

“It is overdue, but I am grateful Gov. Evers has taken this step to stabilize the tower," Kitchens said. "We should bear in mind that the $500,000 allocated for stabilization would cover the cost of repair of the tower. I hope that this will be a first big step toward saving this beloved and historic tower.

“We need assurances from the governor that the stabilization repairs will be in accordance with the Historic Preservation Code in order to protect the Potawatomi Tower’s placement on the list. Otherwise, the state will not only be overspending, but we’d lose the Historic Landmark designation many people worked very hard to get for the tower.”

Contact Christopher Clough at 920-562-8900 or cclough@doorcountyadvocate.com.

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This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Evers OKs emergency work on Potawatomi State Park tower in Door County