Future of Wilmette Harbor to be Voted on Thursday

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Great Chicago (MWRD) will vote on the future of the Wilmette Harbor on Thursday, a decision that will decide whether or not the harbor remains open.

The committee will be voting on whether it will accept a $68,501 bid from the WHA, entering into a 39-year term lease with the company on 6.19 acres of MWRD real estate (which includes the Wilmette Harbor).

The advertisement for public tender of bids for the lease went up after a September 6 meeting. It was decided that the minimum annual rental bid would be set at $67,000, and the bidders must all agree to dredge the Harbor and keep it free from sand deposits.

The Wilmette Harbor Association submitted a bid of $68,501, according to documents provided by the MWRD. The Wilmette Harbor Management Inc. (WHM) submitted a a bid of $70,000, and the Centerpointe Yacht Services LLC. (Centerpointe) also submitted a bid of $70,000.

Neither WHM or Centerpointe provided financial statements or proof of the organization's financial ability to meet the proposed lease terms, which — as the lease states that the lease will be awarded to the highest responsible bidder who is financially responsible, both bids were rejected as non-responsive.

After the MWRD's April 4 meeting, David St. Pierre, the MWRD Executive Director, told the Chicago Tribune that it's unlikey that a new tenant could take over the lease in time for the boating season to begin.

WHA, which has been running the Harbor since 1938, is still hopeful that their lease will be picked up again.

"The Wilmette Harbor Association is working toward making sure that we're open and doing business this year," said Sabine Herber, Executive Director of the Wilmette Harbor Association told Patch last week. "We're working with the WMRD and exploring options that would allow us to be open for business. We're prepared to operate the basin."

Thursday's meeting will be open to the public. The meeting will be held at 10 a.m. at the WMRD's office, located in the board room at 100 E. Erie St. in Chicago.

Patch will be reporting from the meeting. To follow the updates, 'like' Patch on Facebook and sign up for our breaking news bulletins here.