Update, Plus save the River Signs or White Flag

Attorney Buck Sweeney would like to share with you a message he received from Katharin Foster regarding the Stoughton Whitewater Park Project.

Hello to All,
 
Since I can see and hear the construction from my house, I thought I would share an update on the whitewater park project with you all.
 
The city began Phase III in the fall of 2024, (ahead of Phase II, the whitewater features and dam modification). Phase III is the Mandt Park redesign and reconstruction, providing parking spaces for future kayakers. This project continues now, with drastic changes to the shoreline, removal of several beautiful mature trees, additions of whitewater features downstream of the dam and paving the river edge with rock and concrete. It is quite obvious that there is no consideration for the desires of the people as this project is continuing full speed ahead. 

Here are some photos taken recently, showing the area:

There are two other permits, one pending and one approved, to fill the millrace and build a whitewater feature downstream, plus the underpass under 4th St. The city is assuming the dam modification and other whitewater features will be approved by the DNR in the future, because these projects have no purpose otherwise. Yet they are scheduled to begin on December 1^st of this year. They will change this beloved area forever, and the dam lowering will affect the river upstream at Yahara Bay by lowering the water level there. It is unknown how much contaminated sediment will be released downstream due to the redirection of the river during construction.
 
During the summer of 2023, I spent a great deal of time distributing over 100 Save the River/Wildlife signs. Now I only see one or two. Please let me know if the assumption is that there is no longer a threat that this project is continuing, (which is not the case), or has everyone surrendered and accepted that it will happen? 
 
The purpose of the signs was to steer people to the petition, which now stands at more than 3,500 signers. I believe it would be over 5,000 if the signs were displayed. Most of the people I encounter are still unaware of the whitewater park project and the permanent changes it is making to this waterway.
 
Costs:
Information distributed by the Parks and Rec director in 2023 gave a cost of $3,875,000 for the Mandt Park phase alone. With a tentative DNR grant of $250,000, the cost to Stoughton taxpayers was listed as $3,500,000. Other components of the entire project, including the riverpark features, totalled an additional $5,941,030, with the majority of the bill going to the Stoughton taxpayers. This does not include the cost of the completed Phase I (the bridge to nowhere) and the cost of financing. The mayor, city attorney and other proponents deceptively separate the whitewater features from all related components of the project when giving a price for the whitewater park. There will also be ongoing costs post completion, plus design and construction of a kayak livery and a marketing survey that should have been done years ago before any design work ever began.
 
Just thought I would share a little information. Please put your signs out again and let everyone know about the petition.
 
Thanks,
 
Katharin Foster