MILWAUKEE – The Committee on Finance unanimously approved a resolution by Supervisor Steve F. Taylor to transfer $241,418 from contingency funds (Org. Unit 194‑1945) and $100,000 from surplus McKinley Beach safety funds (WP0760) to Project WP0778 – Bender Park Boat Launch, securing the funds needed to contract dredging services and reopen this vital refuge for emergency responders and recreational boaters. The resolutions author, Steve F. Taylor, made the following statement:
“Ensuring safe access to Lake Michigan isn’t just an infrastructure project—it’s a matter of life and death. Every year we wait with the launch closed raises the level of risk for the community. It’s unacceptable. I’d like to thank the Finance Committee for their unanimous support and encourage my colleagues on the Board to support this funding to clear the sediment and reopen Bender Park this year. It’s time to restore this critical harbor and give our first responders and recreational boaters the reliable, secure access to Lake Michigan that they deserve.”
The Bender Park Boat Launch was opened in 1999, and when operational, provides a critical shelter point during unsafe lake conditions. Heavy sediment buildup has repeatedly blocked access, leading to dredging being required in 2007, 2011, and 2013 to maintain the site, which now remains closed due to current sediment overflow. The 2024 Capital Budget allocated $802,500 for WP0778, but rising permitting delays, consulting complications, and higher bids have pushed the project over budget by $341,418.
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) permits were approved in April 2025, but the low bid exceeded available funding.
The prospective project is designed to restore five feet of depth at the launch, reestablishing safe harbor access for public safety and recreational use.
The file is expected to be taken up by the full Board of Supervisors at their July 24th meeting.
