Green Bay City Council member Chris Wery resigns, moving outside district to care of wife, mother
GREEN BAY — City Council member Chris Wery never expected to have to give up one love to take care of another.
In a Monday evening Facebook video, Wery announced his resignation from the City Council after 21 years on the job because he'll be moving outside of his district to take care of his wife and his mother.
Wery said his wife was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis about 10 years ago and requires extra care. His mother has breast cancer and early dementia, he said, and can no longer live on her own. "Rather than a nursing home or care facility, I decided to take her in and combine the care they both need. However, my current home could not accommodate this setup."
Howdy Everyone!This is an announcement I never thought I would make. I will be moving and stepping down as your Alderman. All things have their season, and in their times all things pass under heaven.Since 2002 (except for 2 years by the esteemed Jesse Brunette) I have served as your Alderman. To say it has been an honor is a profound understatement. This entrusted role has been the passion of my life. I will miss it greatly. As I always tell my kids, if you tell God your life plans, he will laugh.My wife was diagnosed with MS (Multiple Sclerosis) about a decade ago and increasingly requires extra care at home. Recently, my mother Patricia has dealt with breast cancer and some early dementia. She can no longer live in her home alone. Rather than a nursing home or care facility, I decided to take her in and combine the care they both need. However, my current home could not accommodate this setup.As much as I cherish my role as Alderman, my love and duty to them comes first. We made the difficult decision to sell my mom's home, eventually sell our home and move in together at a better equipped one. My last council meeting will be Tuesday, May 6th. Anyone living in the district can apply to serve out the remaining year thru April 2026. The city council will vote and choose who they believe should replace me. If you have any interest, give it a shot. More information will be coming from the city and myself as the time approaches. Let me know if you have questions about this.I have met so many wonderful people over the past 2 decades. You have been friends and family through all the issues we have encountered. I hope my newsletters, emails and Facebook page kept you informed and allowed you to voice your opinion. I will have more to say as May grows closer…. just wanted to get this out to you right now.God Bless,Chris
Posted by Alderman Chris Wery, District 8 City of Green Bay on Monday, March 3, 2025
For a bigger space, he is moving out of the district he's represented since 2002, District 8 that includes Lambeau Field and Colburn Park. His last City Council meeting will be May 6.
Many have tried to unseat the council member from his chair in the City Council chamber. Only Jesse Brunette succeeded in 2012 before Wery got his District 8 seat back in 2013. Wery attributed his long tenure to his attention to detail that went into helping others, keeping reams of notebooks and emails of notes, he said in his Facebook video.
In the time that the UW-Green Bay graduate of history and human development has been in his council member seat, he's been at the center of fierce controversy and debates ― debates being one of his loves, according to Wery's Facebook video. He attracted public attention in 2014 for quizzing a Muslim resident about her political beliefs when the resident had asked about the city's bus service. He formally apologized in 2016 for accessing an opponent's financial records through his temporary job at Associated Bank. And he fought back resignation requests in 2020 after encouraging "patriots" to defend Green Bay after racial tensions erupted in Kenosha.
He's prided himself in previous election questionnaires for not shying away from confrontation to uphold his convictions. It's put him up against former Mayor Jim Schmitt over campaign finances and current Mayor Eric Genrich over recording devices in City Hall.
As policy goes, the council member has previously campaigned on developing Green Bay's commerce and industry. Most recently, he motioned for the approval of a mixed-use development in front of Lambeau Field in his district, citing the site's future tax benefits as his reasoning.
In his resignation video, Wery deemphasized the big topics that make headlines in his, saying that it's "such a little part of a [City Council member's] job." He continued, "You need to have lightheartedness in life, you really do. Take it too seriously and it'll burn you out real quick."
"I love this job," he said in his Facebook video. "It's the greatest thing I've ever done. It's the passion of my life. I love it." He wiped his watering eyes. "Gosh darn it, I wasn't going to do that, but I did it. So much for stoicism, lol."
A replacement to serve out the rest of Wery's term until April 2026 will be selected by a City Council vote.
Jesse Lin is a reporter covering the community of Green Bay and its surroundings, as well as politics in northeastern Wisconsin. Contact him at 920-834-4250 or jlin@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Green Bay City Council member Chris Wery resigns
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