During the Monday night West Bend Common Council meeting watch for aldermen to vote to sign off on the bridge demolition surety agreement.
At the Jan. 5 meeting a majority of the common council reactive positively to the $75,000 surety put up by the Downtown BID Board. The money is needed as a safety net as the city prepares to step away from a $45,000 grant that would pay to demolish the bridge behind the West Bend Theatre.
The bridge is currently owned by the city. Mayor Kraig Sadownikow said he loves the energy behind the project to save the bridge and breath new life into the theatre, however he does not want the taxpayers to be left holding the bill – should the theatre plan fall through and the bridge end up back on the table.
District 2 alderman Steve Hutchins was in favor of fixing the theatre with the caveat, taxpayers are protected. “I’m just making clear I do not want neighbors to get hung up on the deal,” he said.
The West Bend Cultural Alliance, let by Nancy Storrs and Kevin Zimmer, are the force behind saving the theatre and the bridge.
Part of the surety agreement reads, The Downtown BID Board approved a $75,000.00 surety bond at the last meeting to ensure that the bridge will be torn down with those funds if the work is not completed by January 21, 2017
Prediction: Watch for a majority of the council will vote in favor of the surety; Dist. 8 alderman Roger Kist said he’s yet to be convinced on the project.
Photo courtesy ascendantholdings.com