Latest news with #AllCityTowing
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Milwaukee abandoned boat 'Deep Thought' sold to familiar face
The Brief Milwaukee County launched an auction for the abandoned boat "Deep Thought." The winning bid came from the owner of All City Towing, the business that successfully removed the boat from the lakefront. The county hoped to raise around $20,000 but fell well short fo that goal. MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee County Parks launched an online auction for "Deep Thought," the boat abandoned at the lakefront – and it sold Tuesday to a familiar face. Local perspective The auction went live on July 22 and closed just after noon on Tuesday, Aug. 5. County Supervisor Sheldon Wasserman announced the winner with a bid of $2,525 – far short of the county's goal. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android That bid came from Jeff Piller, the owner of All City Towing, the business that successfully removed the boat from the lakefront. He plans to sell pieces of the boat to fuel charitable efforts. "Have you ever had something when you're cleaning out your house and you just can't throw it away, or you can't let it go?" he said. "I think my staff and I, and everyone involved, has really grown to love it. And we want to keep doing good stuff with it." Piller encouraged local charities that hold auctions to reach out and collaborate on "some nice pieces of artwork" that could be be of interest to bar owners and other local spaces. "It's gonna be very labor-intensive, and a lot of time to be able to make this into good charitable pieces, and we may even sell some small pieces to help pay for the labor of getting rid of the boat," Piller said. Online auction What's next The boat will be sold as-is with no minimum bid required. Milwaukee County Parks is now working with the Milwaukee County Department of Transportation Fleet team, the auction platform provider, to verify details of the bid and confirm payment. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News While no certificate of title exists, the Milwaukee County Office of Corporation Counsel has created a process for transferring ownership legally and appropriately. The winner, in this case Piller, is responsible for transportation and removal – something his business is all too familiar with. Auction coming up short By the numbers The county hoped to raise around $20,000 to recover some costs of the boat's removal. Leaders hoped the excitement that surrounded the vessel would carry over to the auction, only to see those hopes sink. Despite slow bidding, the county stuck with its plan to sell the 75,000-pound boat (in full size) hoping someone would come along with a higher bid to give Deep Thought a second life. Removal costs Dig deeper Wasserman, chair of the Milwaukee County Parks and Culture Committee, said it cost Milwaukee County $50,000 to finally free the boat. Some donations covered $30,000 of that, but as for the remaining balance? "I hate saying it, but taxpayers are going to have to pay this bill," he said Friday. "I got senior centers that are falling apart, so $20,000 – it does make a difference." The Source FOX6 News interviewed Wasserman and referenced prior coverage related to the boat, its removal and the auction. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Yahoo
Going! Going! Almost gone! Milwaukee's abandoned boat 'Deep Thought' set for public auction
Milwaukee County plans to move ahead with publicly auctioning off Deep Thought, the abandoned boat that was stranded on Lake Michigan's shoreline, provided the county can acquire legal ownership before bidding can begin. "The issue with ownership is Milwaukee County does not have title to this property," James Tarantino, deputy director of Milwaukee County Parks told the county's Parks and Culture committee on June 10. "Because it's now been abandoned, and is really more like a sculpture than a boat, we're trying to determine what that legal bill of sale looks like." Tarantino said that the county is primed to list the boat at auction as soon as the legal details are ironed out in the coming days or weeks. Mississippi-based couple Sherry and Richard Wells left Deep Thought on the lakeshore between Bradford and McKinley beaches after running out of gas during a thunderstorm in mid-October. In May, given the questionable nature of the boat's ownership as well as the Wellses' inability to pay for the boat's removal, it was determined that the county was responsible for salvaging the boat. "At the end of the day, I don't want the county to be on the hook for this," Supervisor Steve Taylor said. In May, the county was left with a $50,000 bill from Milwaukee-based company, All City Towing, for removing the abandoned boat that saw many well-wishers bidding the boat farewell. The county received $30,000 in donations from the Daniel W. Hoan Foundation and an anonymous donor to help cover costs for its removal, still leaving a $20,000 dent in the county's coffers. "I think a summer auction is the way to go," said Supervisor Sheldon A. Wasserman, whose district was home to Deep Thought. "Let's strike right now when the interest in the boat is at its highest." County Corporation Counsel attorney Scott Brown has not ruled out filing legal actions to recover costs, potentially in federal court or another state. "Short version of it, I think, at this point, it's what I would call drilling a dry well. I don't know if these people are collectible. From what my understanding is they are of I think modest means," Brown told supervisors. "We could get a judgment against them, but it may not be worth the paper." Brown said he is still evaluating legal avenues. "This is a bad precedent, you know, that somebody can just leave their boat on Milwaukee County property, and we have to take care of it," Supervisor Steven Shea said. "This is about as big a public nuisance as we can get." In May, Wisconsin lawmakers proposed a new bill that could subject any boat owners who abandon their watercrafts for longer than a month to prison time. Supervisors also asked about the possibility of establishing a policy or action plan if a similar situation arises in the future. While Tarantino said he is waiting to see how the state legislation plays out, he is reluctant to establish something as concrete as policy given the unique nature of the Deep Thought incident compared with most boats that moor on Lake Michigan's shoreline. Tarantino applauded the fact that the County Board raised the fees for illegal dumping earlier this year. "That's an example of a policy that we think is a good deterrent," he said. "We are absolutely committed to dealing with these problems as they come up. We're just unfortunately not resourced if this continues to happen more frequently." Contact Vanessa Swales at 414-308-5881 or vswales@ Follow her on X @Vanessa_Swales. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee's abandoned boat Deep Thought headed to public auction
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Milwaukee abandoned boat; leader of crew that freed vessel talks
The Brief The owner of All City Towing spoke on Tuesday, May 20, about his team's removal of Deep Thought from Milwaukee's lakefront. The boat was abandoned back in October. Despite multiple attempts by other teams, the All City Towing crew successfully removed the boat in early May. MILWAUKEE - Boat watch 2025 is back! Well, sort of. On Tuesday, May 20, we learned a lot more about how a Milwaukee crew successfully removed Deep Thought, the boat that was abandoned on the city's lakefront. What we know On Tuesday, Jeff Piller, the owner of All City Towing, spoke at the Rotary Club. He was invited to share how his crew was able to free the boat which had been beached between Bradford and McKinley beaches from October 2024 until early May. Piller said his crew estimated the boat weighed between 40,000 and 50,000 pounds. It was actually close to 100,000 pounds. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android Piller spoke about the challenges of removing the boat. He initially estimated the cost to free it from the beach would be around $50,000. It turns out that it was much more than that. What they're saying "There was a lot of people who wanted to see it stay but it was definitely time to get rid of the boat," Piller said. Piller said he is giving the county and taxpayers a discount, as they are figuring out a way to come up with the money to pay for it. Two donors previously pitched in around $20,000 to help with the costs. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News "But we have went way over that," Piller said. "But I have a discount on my invoice. That's approaching about $35,000." What's next Milwaukee County Parks said final costs and responsibilities will be confirmed once it reviews the invoice. For now, the boat is being housed at All City Towing's lot on Milwaukee's south side. The Source The information in this post was produced by FOX6 News and taps into previous FOX6 News coverage.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Is Milwaukee County footing the bill for removing Deep Thought? What's next for the abandoned boat
The odyssey of Deep Thought, the boat abandoned for months on Lake Michigan's Milwaukee shoreline, is not over. After the boat's removal from the lake on May 6, questions remain about how much of the bill Milwaukee County will be left to pay. In an email to County Executive David Crowley and other department officials on May 7, County Board Supervisor Steve Taylor wrote: "The fun and games are over and I am asking for full transparency on the final cost and if Milwaukee County is paying for any shortfall." In an interview with the Journal Sentinel, Taylor shared his concerns about the financial impact it could have on the already cash-strapped county and hopes that there are legal avenues that could be investigated to prevent taxpayers from covering the cost of its removal. "The story's not over," Taylor told the Journal Sentinel. The journey of Deep Thought began when it was left stranded during a thunderstorm by a Mississippi couple in mid-October after they ran out of gas and landed on the lakeshore. Since then, unsuccessful efforts to remove the boat placed it as one of Milwaukee's signature attractions with visitors coming from all over. And pilgrimages turned to a funerary tribute on May 6, when a crowd of about 100 onlookers gathered to cheer and mourn as the boat was dragged out of the lake. Crowley's office did not immediately respond to questions. The county's park department signed a $55,000 contract with a Milwaukee-based company, All City Towing, to remove the boat, according to a statement from the county. Supervisor Sheldon A. Wasserman, whose district was a temporary home for Deep Thought, told the Journal Sentinel that the dollar amount was the upper limit the county was willing to pay for the boat's removal. All City Towing is holding Deep Thought, and it is unclear how much storing the boat with the company might cost. Wasserman said he expects the boat to be held there for two or three months until the county sorts out the legalities of the boat's ownership. "It's junk. It's not gonna be repaired," he said. While Wasserman doesn't know exactly how much or if the county will have to pay, but he suspects the money would be pulled from an emergency fund. At least two donations to help finance Deep Thought's removal from the Milwaukee shoreline hit headlines. In late April, an anonymous donor contacted Milwaukee's Mayor Cavalier Johnson to provide financial support for part of its removal. It is not clear who or how much was proffered. Since then, the anonymous donor has not contacted the county, and no formal offer has been received, according to a statement from Wasserman. A week later, the Daniel W. Hoan Foundation donated $10,000 to the effort. The county continues to investigate pursuing legal avenues for reimbursement, given the tenuous nature of the boat's ownership. In mid-April, it was determined that Milwaukee County was responsible for salvaging the boat as it was left on county property by its Mississippi-based owners, Sherry and Richard Wells, after they ran out of gas. The couple previously expressed an inability to pay for the boat's removal. Wasserman suggested in his weekly newsletter that the original owners from Michigan, who sold the boat to the Wellses, may ultimately have to pay. At the time, the Milwaukee County corporation counsel was working on an outline for who was legally responsible to pay for the boat. Wasserman has since clarified that the corporation counsel's office would not pursue legal action against the Wellses. '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 said on May 6. 'Either way, Milwaukee County residents shouldn't be forced to cover the cost of cleaning up after out-of-state tourists who abandoned their boat and their responsibility.' In the event the county is left to pay the final bill, Wasserman said that the county is seriously considering chopping up the boat and selling parts of it as mementos. "There's a real market there from what we've been seeing," Wasserman said, adding that any potential money could be put toward paying off the salvaging company. The day of the boat's removal from Lake Michigan, an MATC student sold a handful of salvaged pieces of Deep Thought for $10. Taylor has since requested an agenda item to go before the appropriate committees — possibly including the county's finance, parks and culture and judiciary and law committees — to glean more details about any other additional costs the boat's removal could have on the county. "It's kind of funny how it's taken a life of its own," Taylor said of Deep Thought. "But we need to just wrap this story up." Contact Vanessa Swales at 414-308-5881 or vswales@ Follow her on X @Vanessa_Swales. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee County might pay for removal of abandoned boat Deep Thought
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
From eyesore to icon, Milwaukee says farewell to abandoned boat, ‘Deep Thought'
MILWAUKEE, Wis. (WFRV) – After spending nearly seven months abandoned along Milwaukee's lakefront, the boat known as 'Deep Thought' was finally removed. On Tuesday, May 6th, the long-awaited operation led to a full day of street closures, announced by Milwaukee County. Hundreds of people gathered at Bradford Beach yesterday to witness the long-awaited removal of the 75,000-pound boat. 'Get ready to clown around:' Insane Clown Posse coming to Green Bay 'Deep Thought' had been stranded between McKinley and Broadford beaches since October 13th, 2024, after its owners ran out of fuel, causing the boat so wash ashore. Over the months, the boat became a quirky local attraction, drawing curious visitors, serving as a backdrop to countless photos, featured in an animated music video, and even a song have been written about the local landmark. The National Bobble Head Hall of Fame even made a bobble boat. Earlier attempts to remove the boat didn't work, at one point, even a barge brought in to help got stuck. But on Tuesday, Milwaukee-based All City Towing finally got the job done using three cranes set up on the beach. District 3 County Supervisor Sheldon Wasserman emphasized the importance of finally resolving the issue. He said it was a serious safety and environmental concern as the public starting climbing the boat, risking injury. 'Huge relief': Drivers and businesses thrilled Oneida St. is back open following NFL Draft The removal cost is estimated at $50,000, with Milwaukee County covering the initial expense. Crews faced major challenges during the extraction, calling it a difficult and complex operation. But saying goodbye wasn't easy for some, as many residents felt the boat had become a quirky piece of Milwaukee's shoreline history. According to County Executive David Crowley, there's even talk of possibly salvaging parts of the vessel and selling them, giving the boat one final chapter before it fades into memory. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
