MILWAUKEE, Wis. – A piece of Milwaukee lore could be yours for the right price later this month.
Milwaukee County Supervisor Sheldon Wasserman confirms to WTMJ a public auction for the abandoned boat “Deep Thought” will begin online July 22nd.
The auction will run on a website that has not gone live yet for 14 days, with the hope of garnering at least a $20,000 bid to help the County fully pay off the remaining cost of removing the boat May 6th.
“We want bids, we definitely want to sell it for the right price,” said Wasserman, adding anyone who can put together a high-enough bid “would make Milwaukee County proud.”
The dilapidated 33-foot Chris Craft Roamer vessel will be sold as-is, not in individual pieces, and the highest bidder would need to provide a way to transport the boat themselves.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Milwaukee County Supervisors hopeful for summer auction of abandoned boat
Parks Deputy Director Jim Tarantino said at a Parks and Culture Committee meeting in June that a public auction would be the best way for the County to make up the funding shortfall it faces in paying All-City Towing for the removal of the boat on May 6th. All-City charged $50,000 for their work, which Tarantino said was an agreed-upon invoice the two sides agreed upon before removal efforts began.
“I don’t want the county to be on the hook for this,” reiterated Supervisor Steve Taylor at the time, who had previously emailed Wasserman, County Executive David Crowley and others voicing his concern that any shortfall in funds to remove the boat would fall on taxpayers to cover.
So far it is believed by County leaders that $30,000 of the total cost has been covered by donations; President of the Hoan Foundation Daniel Steininger previously committed $10,000, while Parks Director Guy Smith says he has been in contact with the anonymous donor who pledged $20,000 towards city efforts to remove the boat.
Wasserman Tuesday could not confirm for certain if the County has formally received the anonymous donation.
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