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Weston secures multiple grants and DNR agreement pending for Yellow Banks kayak launch improvements
Summary
Staff reported grant awards and donor contributions to support Yellow Banks kayak launch improvements, but said work cannot start until a DNR agreement arrives. Village will rely on in‑kind staff labor and donated surveying and equipment to complete the summer project.
Village staff reported that several grants and donations have been secured to fund improvements at the Yellow Banks kayak launch but that the project cannot proceed until a formal agreement from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is received.
Why it matters: Yellow Banks is one of the village’s river access points and is included in the Great Pioneer Heritage Waterway Trail. The grants and donated labor would allow the village to complete site prep and signage without substantial out‑of‑pocket cost.
Details from the meeting Staff told the committee the village has four grant awards or commitments for the Yellow Banks project: a matching grant that covers half of the project (staff described the village portion as $48,000 toward a roughly $96,000 total), a $2,500 grant from a local Kiwanis club, a $5,000 award from the Marathon County Parks Foundation, and a $15,000 impact grant from the Community Foundation. Staff said Dan Higginbotham donated surveying services (valued at roughly $9,500) and that a PGA representative agreed to donate two days of equipment and labor for on‑site work.
Staff and committee members emphasized that work cannot start until the DNR sends the signed agreement; staff reported the DNR mailed the agreement but the village had not yet received it. Committee members were told that village staff labor and donated equipment are expected to cover a significant portion of the village’s match and that the project should be completed over the summer, with physical work expected to begin in June.
Clarifying details - Grants and donations reported: matching grant (village share ~ $48,000 toward $96,000 total), $2,500 (Kiwanis), $5,000 (Marathon County Parks Foundation), $15,000 (Community Foundation impact grant), donated surveying (~$9,500) and two days of donated equipment/labor from a PGA representative. - Permits/contract: Staff reported that the DNR has mailed an agreement to the village but the signed agreement had not arrived at the village office at the time of the meeting; staff said work cannot proceed until that agreement is executed. - Timing: Construction and site work expected to begin no earlier than June and to be completed during the summer months, subject to receipt of the DNR agreement and final cost estimates after agreement execution.
Speakers included in this article - Sean — village staff member (engineering/operations involvement) - Dan Higginbotham — donor/surveyor (donated surveying services) - Tim White — CVB contact referenced in signage/video coordination
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Provenance Topic intro: staff announcement of the Yellow Banks item and grant awards; topic finish: staff note about DNR agreement and expected start in June.
