The saga of Milwaukee County's stranded 33-foot vessel, known to locals as "The S.S. Minnow," has finally reached its end with the announcement from Supervisor Sheldon A. Wasserman on the successful removal of the boat, which had become both an eyesore and a public safety concern since its abandonment between McKinley and Bradford Beaches over six months ago.
In a statement released by Milwaukee County, Supervisor Wasserman expressed relief and determination, saying, "This boat has been an eyesore and a hazard for far too long," and adding that the county, following guidance from Milwaukee County Corporation Counsel, took responsibility for the removal of the boat because it was lodged in the bedrock, and neither the U.S. Coast Guard nor the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources held jurisdiction in this seemingly interminable situation.
Milwaukee County has not been lax in its pursuit of resolving this issue, hiring a contractor to remove and reclaim the derelict vessel at a hefty cost — $55,000, a sum now looming over county taxpayers. Wasserman emphasized the county's ongoing investigations to identify the boat’s owners, as the county seeks reimbursement from the responsible party, amid questions surrounding the validity of the vessel's title transfer.
"There are ongoing questions about who holds the title, and if the transfer was never properly completed, the original owners may still be liable," Wasserman stated with conviction, determined to alleviate the financial burden from the shoulders of Milwaukee residents who should not, in his view, have to shoulder the repercussions of what he termed the neglect of "out-of-state tourists who abandoned their boat and their responsibility," as reported by Milwaukee County. The mysterious case of the anonymous donor, once believed to be ready to assist with the costs, remains unresolved. This person has not yet made a formal offer to ease the county's financial burden, adding to the complications of an already complex issue. The vessel was abandoned last October by a Mississippi couple who, after being caught in a storm, left it without fuel and seemingly without the intention to recover their stranded watercraft.
