NO

Egg Harbor’s pier will not be open in 2009.

Voters in the Village of Egg Harbor voted down a proposal to build a new and expanded marina May 26 by an 87 – 81 margin.

The controversial project had the support of all five village board members, but voters disagreed with the size and cost of the project.

Originally estimated to cost $7.9 million, the village trimmed aesthetic enhancements to bring the cost to $6.6 million in response to complaints from taxpayers.

The new marina would have added about 21 slips to the marina, and the taller, rock rubble breakwall would have had a much more visible profile than the current pier built in 1974. The existing pier is deemed unsafe by engineers and was closed by the village. President Nancy Fisher said that pier will never reopen.

A $1.185 million grant from the Wisconsin Waterways Commission was awarded to the village to help pay for the breakwall, but that grant will likely be rescinded.

While 70 percent of village residents turned out to vote, one wonders where the other 82 eligible voters who decided not to weigh in on the largest project proposed in the village in decades.

Fisher said the village will demolish the old pier.