Letter to the Editor

Fox Point Resident Questions High Cost of Fox Point Footbridge

Bob Cory compares the Bridge Lane Ravine Footbridge project, with projects around $1 million, to a similar pedestrian footbridge installed at Riverside High School for just $185,000.

Recently a pedestrian bridge was ordered, assembled and erected in Milwaukee near the Riverside High School. This bridge was assembled and erected in one week and it took aprox. ninety minutes to install. The assembly and erection was accomplished by three men at a  total cost of $185,000. The Village of Fox Point is “researching” a pedestrian bridge to replace an aging bridge known as the Bridge Lane Ravine Footbridge. The “research” has been ongoing now for over a year and after spending tens of thousands of dollars on consultants – they are awaiting the results of the third such study at a cost of $17,500. Just about a year ago, the village arranged financing for this as yet to be approved obscure capitol project to the tune of …

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Fox Point Village Board Authorizes Planning for Replacement Footbridge

Ayers will design a brand new bridge in accordance with specifications from Village President Michael West, however, construction will not begin just yet.

Fox Point Village Board members voted Tuesday to have consultant Ayers Associates design a brand new bridge to replace the old Bridge Lane Ravine Footbridge in accordance with specifications laid out by President Michael West. "Don’t forget, we are not committed to building a bridge," West said. Tuesday's decision does not tie the board to constructing anything that the consultant, Ayers Associates, creates. However, it does set the board on that path, as they utilize the allocated $37,773 contract with Ayers to plan a replacement bridge rather than repair or removal. Trustee Beverly Bell suggested modifying West's proposal to request Ayers also look into repair options, but other trustees voted it down. "If we take your motion, it is …

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The Editor's Notebook

Week Ahead: Possible Fox Point Bridge Decision, Patch Chat and Choral Concert

A roundup of places to be and people to meet in Fox Point and Bayside.

Who said nothing ever happens in Fox Point or Bayside — Patch certainly doesn't think so! Check out all the places to be, things to do and people to see as we look at the week ahead. Fox Point Village Board Meeting Tuesday The Fox Point Village Board will hold their regular monthly meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Village Hall. The board is slated to discuss and possibly take action on the Bridge Lane Ravine Footbridge, to hear a presentation from the Friends of Doctors Park and review a potential fee waiver for Nicolet High School to use Longacre Pavilion. Check out this Letter to the Editor from Fox Point resident Larry Booth for his views on the Bridge Lane Ravine Footbridge and his call out to residents to attend this meeting. Chat with…

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Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Village Board to Vote on Fox Point’s $1.9 Million “Footbridge to Nowhere”

Fox Point resident, Larry Booth, talks about the Village Board's possible vote on Tuesday and why he believes the Bridge Lane Ravine Footbridge shouldn't be replaced.

If a small vocal group of people get their way, Fox Point taxpayers will now have to pay $1,917,000 for a useless “footbridge to nowhere." This includes the new higher cost estimate of $1.75 million for construction, $142,000 in consulting fees and about $25,000 for legal fees and staff costs.   In a village of just 6,600 people, $1.9 million is an extraordinary and unprecedented expenditure of public money especially for something that is essentially a private footbridge used by only a handful of residents in a very exclusive neighborhood. Consider this:   There are many other places in the village and surrounding communities to look at leaves --- and they won’t cost taxpayers a dime. The Village Board will hear public comments and then …

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Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Fox Point Village Finances

Resident Bob Cory says the footbridge only puts a burden on the debt service status.

Not long ago, the Village of Fox Point built a new police station. Perhaps even over-built it! The village has contributed its share of funds toward the Bayside combined dispatch center. The village regularly purchases new equipment and vehicles giving us a DPW fleet unmatched in the state. And the list goes on. I am sure that the village has a long wish list of capitol improvement projects it would like to undertake. Most of those projects are necessary to the operation and upkeep of village utilities, roads etc. As the village borrows funds for these projects our debt load increases steadily. At what point does this dept service experience an "overload" capacity? Does out borrowing strength diminish? Does our bonding status lower? To …

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The Editor's Notebook

Week Ahead: Book Club, Office Hours and Village Board Meeting

A roundup of places to be and people to meet in Fox Point and Bayside.

Who said nothing ever happens in Fox Point or Bayside — Patch certainly doesn't think so! Check out all the places to be, things to do and people to see as we look at the week ahead. Jewish Women's Circle Book Club This isn't your ordinary book club! You won't need a degree in literature to enjoy yourself. Join us as we explore meaningful books by Jewish authors. If you like to get into debates about current issues and are looking for a practical way to apply your Jewishness to your everyday life, come check it out. Tuesday's book is The Faithful and Fortified: Vol. #3 (DVD) and the meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. at The Shul. Fox Point-Bayside Patch Office Hours With a web-based news source like Patch, I spend more of my …

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Letter to the Editor

In Tight Fiscal Times, a Footbridge is Not a Priority

Fox Point resident Bob Cory shares his thoughts on the Bridge Lane Ravine Footbridge.

Editor's Note: This letter was sent to Patch in response to another Letter to the Editor on the Bridge Lane Ravine Footbridge posted Tuesday. If you have a letter to the editor, please email it to the editor.   The village has initiated a foundation to raise funds for the project. They are to raise at least one-half of the necessary funds. If they raise one-half, residents will still have to put out the other-half. If they fall short of their goal, then the residents will put out one-half, plus whatever is short from such a foundation pursuit. In these times, this is not a worthwhile priority!!!! Bob Cory Resident of Fox Point for 25 years

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Letter to the Editor

Fox Point’s $1.1 Million “Footbridge to Nowhere”

Fox Point resident, Larry Booth, gives his two-cents on the controversial Bridge Lane Ravine Footbridge.

At the same time the Village of Fox Point is talking about cutting back on essential services and infrastructure, the Village Board has authorized spending up to $1.1 million of taxpayer money to rebuild an unused and unneeded FOOTBRIDGE. That $1.1 million price tag was 44 percent of the village’s ENTIRE 2012 capital budget. In other words, the board authorized spending nearly as much on a single footbridge as it has on all of the critical road, sanitary sewer and stormwater improvement projects in the village. That enormous price tag is not the only problem with this project: And the $1.1 million is not the only cost to taxpayers. The village is paying two engineering firms $142,000 to develop proposals for the footbridge. Taxpayers are …

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Fox Point Hiring Another Firm to Study Bridge

The Boldt Company will take another look at replacement options for the footbridge.

The Fox Point Village Board on Tuesday evening approved yet another study for the Bridge Lane Ravine Footbridge, this time to be completed by The Boldt Company. Neighbors of the bridge, Jack and Cissy Bryson and Mary and James Connelly, asked the board what it needs to make a decision, questioning why a third firm needs to be brought in to study the bridge. Village President Michael West said it's a matter of the board obtaining enough information to make an informed decision. "As far as I'm concerned, this is new information," West said. The Boldt Company, a construction services firm out of Appleton, will meet with Ayers Associates to work with them on the previous studies that have been done on the bridge. According to the proposal from…

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