I agree with you gilly about where we should dump a few things. I also agree the creek walls should be done by volunteers like I said start with SOLE and those whose homes line the lake.

Gilly and Pat, here's what I know:
1. The bid was $885,069. The council approved borrowing for $1,365,000, which includes the contractor and project manager costs, permit fees, about $170,000 in contingencies "for surprises," and payment to the landowners receiving the dredged material.
2. The partial rerouting of the creek is not included in the project, and the city may or may not decide to do it in the future. A couple council members have said it should be done, but not for awhile. No official pricetag on that. Estimates have ranged from up to $200,000, while another was $200,000 to $400,000.
5. Creek walls already have $100,000 allocated in next year's budget to begin reconstruction. The 5-year capital budget also calls for $50,000 each year for four years after that. You can see here: http://www.ci.evansville.wi.gov/city/fis...
Hope this helps.

Gilly I as well had questions about the extra money. The bid I think is closer to 900,000 than 800,000. I thought maybe they were going to try to do the damn walls or just had extra cash to spend.. Would not be the first time city did that. But what I was told the extra money is for a consultant, because this contractor low balled it by such a amount we need to make sure they do , what they have agreed to do. I think regardless of the bid we would need someone watching who ever does it.

2. The box culvert costs almost half a million and they quite simply don't have the money. They will need to work it into the budget over the next year or two. They have no money for 'extra' projects because they spend so foolishly the rest of the year.

3.THERE IS NO WAY, they can let anyone swim in that lake. HUGE liability. Worse than the skate park.. WHY would anyone let their kids or want to swim in that nasty millpond. Regardless if its dredged or not. YUCK.. NOT with a pool less than 500 ft away.

4..People need to be strongly encouraged NOT to feed the geese, once the geese figure it out the millpond is back. No you can not shoot them. But you knew that.

5. If it was volunteers , why was the first figure they had almost half a million? I find it hard to believe that supplys would cost that much. It should be all volunteers, lets start with the S.O.L.E. committee .. As they raised squat, my kids raised more with their lemonade stands the last five years than what sole raised. So let S.O.L.E. redeem it self and get busy doing the creek walls by themselves.

why does it say 5 comments, about only 3 show?

yes, gina write about the millpond all you like. Its clear things are slow.

Yes, Gina.

Don't listen to curtaincall. You write about that darn lake as much as you want!!!

Ok Gina,, things must be very slow at the gazette. How often are you going to cover this??
I think Evansville actually caught a break since the economy is so crappy. Contractors want work to. I would hope you would wait until the lake is done before covering this again. Wait until you can put a pretty picture on the cover.