The Fox Point Village Board could vote Monday to issue initial funds to replace the Bridge Lane Ravine Footbridge.
Those funds would be supplied to Footbridge Friends, Inc. to allow Progress Consulting, LLC. and Clear Verve Marketing, LLC. begin marketing campaigns to solicit donations for the remaining half of the estimated cost to replace the bridge.
In December the board challenged residents to raise $500,000 toward the estimated $1 million replacement cost for the bridge.
The Village Board will meet at 4 p.m. Monday to discuss funding and could potentially approve those funds — to the dismay of some residents.
"The fundraising group was supposed to raise funds on their own," Fox Point resident Bob Cory told Patch in an e-mail. "A fundraiser will cost substantial money. The village should not assist this project."
He went into more detail in about the meeting on Monday, saying he believes this is all fueled by Board President Michael West.
Cory is not the only one fired up about the infamous bridge.
Interested in more news about the Bridge Lane Ravine Footbridge? Check out our topic page dedicated to our continuing coverage of the infamous bridge.
The footbridge was first and since then, numerous Village Board meetings listing the bridge on the agenda have garnered dozens of residents supporting each of the different options before the board.
But the issue of fundraising has garnered tearful speeches from neighboring resident of the bridge, Cissy Bryson, . As her eyes welled with tears and her voice broke, she talked about how important the bridge has been to her throughout her entire life in Fox Point, and to many others.
Larry Booth, another Fox Point resident, has written numerous Letters to the Editor citing his frustrations with the lack of progress by the Village Board.
"...It was a sad display of ineffective government that is going to cost taxpayers more than $1 million dollars so that a small, privileged group of people can have their private 'footbridge to nowhere,'"
And S. Whelan, another Patch reader, felt similarly.
"There wasn't enough money to keep the drop-off garbage site open, but we may rebuild this bridge that only a handful of residents use?" they asked in a comment. "It's ridiculous."
Discussion and possible action on the footbridge are the only items on this agenda.
Taxpayers are already in debt for over a $1million for this absurd project that a survey showed the overwhelming majority of residents don't, yet the Board keeps giving to this small well connected group of wealthy people who live next to the bridge and throwing more and more money at this project. This lunacy must stop! Don't don't this group another dime of taxpayer money. They made a deal and now they have to live with it. Not taxpayers