Times Observer photo by Josh Cotton WCCBI President/CEO Jim Decker addresses Warren City Council on Monday night. Council agreed to allocate the remaining $500,000 needed to lock in the finding for a proposed boat launch on the riverfront.

The approximately $3 million needed to build a proposed boat launch on Warren’s downtown riverfront has been secured.

Warren City Council agreed to kick in $250,000 in general fund dollars as well as $250,000 from a loan taken out for repairs to the parking garage during Monday’s meeting.

WCCBI President/CEO Jim Decker said this funding finalized the total needed to fund the project.

He asked council for “positive action” to “solidify the funding necessary to fully encapsulate the first stage.”

Council granted that request.

Acting City Manager Mike Holtz rehashed the various funding sources, including $1.5 million in state grant money that requires a dollar-for-dollar match.

He said a grant from the state for repairs at the parking garage “will free up the loan proceeds that may be used as a match.”

He also explained that the county commissioners at their Wednesday meeting wil “consider additional funds toward the riverfront.” Any further allocation from the county could reduce the amount of loan proceeds needed to round out the boat launch funding.

Councilman John Wortman called this “much better financing” and said he is hopeful that the commissioners would allocate an additional $250,000 “which would mean no loan proceeds would be used” for the additional match.

“The City of Warren is committed to this project,” Councilman Dave Wortman. “(There are) going to be tremendous dividends once we get to actual execution and build out of this project.”