WEST BEND, Wis. — The empty UW-Milwaukee Washington County campus is one step closer to new ownership as a religious private school and conservation group place bids on the property.
Ozaukee Christian School expressed interest in purchasing the building in West Bend, while Cedar Lakes Conservation Foundation has bid on 60 acres of the surrounding land.
Watch: Community members voice worries as private school bids on former UW-Milwaukee campus
Community members are concerned about the future of the campus, which has been vacant for over a year since it was shutdown.
"People really want to talk about this, so I think that the county and city really should have community input to see what people are thinking," Mary Ann Rzeszutek said. "They [the county and city] want to stop spending money on it. Instead of approaching it with that viewpoint, they [should] approach it with the viewpoint of what is best for the community? What would be an asset for the community?"
Some residents prefer that the property remain in public hands rather than being sold to a private entity.
"I don't really want to see it become something private," Deb Anderson said. "I think that that limits access to a really really great idea."
Ruth Maschmeier expressed similar sentiments about the property's future.
"I want to see that building used for more than just dust collecting," she said. "I want to see it used by the community, for the community with community input."
Community members are asking for more time to share their opinions with the task force and county officials before a final decision is made.
The county and city of West Bend are currently planning a public input session, but have not yet set a date as they work to find the best time for their schedules and for community participation.
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