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VIDEO | Town of West Bend to meet March 5 with PRD to discuss Gonring Drive Boat Launch

Town of West Bend, WI – There is a meeting Wednesday, March 5, 2025, as the Town of West Bend meets with the Cedar Lake PRD to discuss the Gonring Boat Launch. It was February 20, 2025, when Town chairman Troy Zagel gathered his board and town attorney to outline the issue and vote on a way to get both parties to come to the table.

Zagel said the Town had been trying to get the issue of ownership /lease resolved for several years but his outreach was not acknowledged by the 7-member PRD.

 

“I don’t know if I want to use that lease as the vehicle, but it’s a very good starting
point … so we need to start somewhere,” said Zagel.
The 3-member town board voted to have the town come to the table in the next three weeks to enter into an agreement or, on March 11, 2025, the town would take more action.

Dave Baldus is secretary of the PRD.

After the February meeting Baldus spoke about the parking lots, jurisdiction of the road, access to the lake and how many boats on Big Cedar Lake.
“There’s been some questions about intergovernmental agreements,” he said. “The PRD board has not been fully apprised of some of the things going on so Mr Zagel is asking for our board to be more fully involved.
“I believe the PRD does have the right to manage to launch based on history, we’ve been there for 45 years … we’re chartered under chapter 33 of the United States the
state statutes and we just recently got approval to raise our launch fees from $8 to $10 through a request through the DNR.”
Questioned whether the PRD or Baldus had access to paperwork that showed an agreement about true ownership, Baldus said he did not believe there was paperwork that shows it – management and ownership.
Questioned whether the Town contacted the PRD multiple times without receiving any response. Baldus said “there’s a level of frustration on both sides.”

The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at the Town of West Bend town hall and is open to the public.

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February 20, 2025 – Town of West Bend, WI – There is a special meeting at 11 a.m. today, Thursday, February 20, 2025, as the Town of West Bend Board discusses management of the Gonring Drive Boat Launch.

Gonrin

Town Chairman Troy Zagel is pushing for an agreement with the Big Cedar Lake PRD, which has claimed ownership of the launch but has not provided legal documentation to support its claim.

“They won’t come to the table,” Zagel said. “We’ve asked them multiple times—show us that you own it, that you bought it, that you lease it—anything. They have nothing.”

Zagel has called the meeting to formally assert the town’s ownership of the launch, which it has maintained and improved using town funds and grants.

Information on Gonring Drive Boat Launch fees

Zagel hopes to force discussions with the PRD but acknowledges tensions are high. “I’m trying to make things work, but they just won’t do it. At this point, I have no choice but to push the issue,” he said.

The town’s attorney is expected to lead much of the discussion at the meeting which begins at 11 a.m. at 6355 CTH Z and is open to the public.

 

1 COMMENT

  1. If the PRD owned the property, wouldn’t they have to pay the taxes on the property? Records should show that.

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