Post by ferryfast admin on Feb 1, 2006 15:27:38 GMT -5
$400,000 from feds for Mississippi River ferry floats away
Associated PressCASSVILLE, Wis. - The $400,000 in federal funds earmarked for Cassville's Mississippi River ferry have floated away - with news the money must go for capital improvements, not the operating costs that officials wanted to cover with it.
Village President Louis Okey said the time isn't right to buy a new vessel for the Cassville Car Ferry, and there's no need to embark on a big improvement project for the landing area and terminal - the kinds of expenses that would be covered with the federal money.
"Nope, we're not going to do that and fix up the landing just because the money's there," Okey said Tuesday night. "Those are the people's funds. It's not like it's manna from heaven."
So the village is giving up the money, even though Okey had to laugh when asked where it would go.
"I wish you'd find out for me," he said. "That's a good question."
After thinking about it for a moment, he said the funds likely would get allocated back into the federal budget.
He isn't blaming U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., and Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., who pushed for the money to ensure continued operation of the ferry.
Okey suspects that as the proposal made its way through the approval process, it got stuck in a fund for capital improvements.
Then came the announcement in late November that the village would get the money as part of the transportation appropriations bill.
Okey learned last week that the funds can't go for operating expenses.
"I can't be critical of Kind and Kohl. They tried to do the right thing," he said.
Stephanie Lundberg, a spokeswoman for Kind, said the money was allocated and available, but only for certain uses.
That means the village and the Cassville Harbor Commission can't apply it toward the ferry's main needs, such as covering the increasing costs of insurance, maintenance, labor and fuel.
In other words, "the rug has been pulled out from underneath," commission member Donna Thibodeau said at a meeting Tuesday.
Okey said the ferry operation still will benefit from $60,000 in state funds included in the current two-year state budget.
That's the first state aid the ferry operation has received.
Okey said the ferry, which has been running for about 16 years, has become a popular attraction, especially during the summer months when it runs five days a week and gives travelers a close-up look at the river.
The small motor vessel pushes a barge that carries vehicle and pedestrian traffic. When it backs out for a run, the vessel swivels around to get in position to push the barge back across the river.
"It's kind of cool. People really like it," Okey said.
Associated PressCASSVILLE, Wis. - The $400,000 in federal funds earmarked for Cassville's Mississippi River ferry have floated away - with news the money must go for capital improvements, not the operating costs that officials wanted to cover with it.
Village President Louis Okey said the time isn't right to buy a new vessel for the Cassville Car Ferry, and there's no need to embark on a big improvement project for the landing area and terminal - the kinds of expenses that would be covered with the federal money.
"Nope, we're not going to do that and fix up the landing just because the money's there," Okey said Tuesday night. "Those are the people's funds. It's not like it's manna from heaven."
So the village is giving up the money, even though Okey had to laugh when asked where it would go.
"I wish you'd find out for me," he said. "That's a good question."
After thinking about it for a moment, he said the funds likely would get allocated back into the federal budget.
He isn't blaming U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., and Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., who pushed for the money to ensure continued operation of the ferry.
Okey suspects that as the proposal made its way through the approval process, it got stuck in a fund for capital improvements.
Then came the announcement in late November that the village would get the money as part of the transportation appropriations bill.
Okey learned last week that the funds can't go for operating expenses.
"I can't be critical of Kind and Kohl. They tried to do the right thing," he said.
Stephanie Lundberg, a spokeswoman for Kind, said the money was allocated and available, but only for certain uses.
That means the village and the Cassville Harbor Commission can't apply it toward the ferry's main needs, such as covering the increasing costs of insurance, maintenance, labor and fuel.
In other words, "the rug has been pulled out from underneath," commission member Donna Thibodeau said at a meeting Tuesday.
Okey said the ferry operation still will benefit from $60,000 in state funds included in the current two-year state budget.
That's the first state aid the ferry operation has received.
Okey said the ferry, which has been running for about 16 years, has become a popular attraction, especially during the summer months when it runs five days a week and gives travelers a close-up look at the river.
The small motor vessel pushes a barge that carries vehicle and pedestrian traffic. When it backs out for a run, the vessel swivels around to get in position to push the barge back across the river.
"It's kind of cool. People really like it," Okey said.