Politics & Government

WHM is "Ready, Willing and Able" to Take Over Wilmette Harbor

Wilmette Harbor Management Inc. released a memo on Friday saying the company is trying to assume operations of the Harbor.

Wilmette Harbor Management Inc. (WHM) has released a memo to members of the Sheridan Shores Yacht Club on Friday, saying that the company is "ready, willing and able" to assume operations of the Wilmette Harbor. 

The Harbor is facing closure this summer after the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) rejected the lease bid from Wilmette Harbor Association, a group that has managed the harbor for 75 years, the Chicago Tribune reported

After the meeting, the Tribune reports, David St. Pierre, the MWRD Executive Director, said that it's unlikely that a new tenant could take over the lease in time for the boating season to begin. 

Find out what's happening in Wilmette-Kenilworthwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

But WHM said in the memo released today that they would, given the opportunity, be committed to opening the Harbor on or before Memorial Day. 

"We have informed the MWRD that we are ready, willing and able to assume operations of the Harbor, effective immediately," the memo read. "We also will honor the existing slip holder licenses, along with the special interest groups, ranging from your sailing school to the Girl Scouts. In short: no change for 2013. In addition, most of the existing employees would be offered the opportunity to continue their work for this season."

Find out what's happening in Wilmette-Kenilworthwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The memo stated that WHM was prepared to continue with dredging at their expense and was prepared to receive an emergency license in short order to do so, if the Wilmette Harbor Association "fails to cooperate on the dredging license assignment."

"This is a very manageable issue," the statement read. "WHM has offered to do this notwithstanding the existing contractual obligation of WHA. ... Contractually, the WHA is not permitted to abandon ship with the Harbor in this deplorable condition, but we believe it best to permit them to do so. We will leave it to the MWRD to decide how best the Harbor and its users can be served by the approximately $1,000,000 in capital reserves that remain in the WHA’s account, though we believe it should have been invested in the Harbor long ago."

The Wilmette Harbor Association (WHA) is still hopeful that the company, which has been operating the Harbor since 1938, will have the Harbor up and operating again this season. 

"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. "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."

At the time of publication, the MWRD could not be reached for comment.

This is an ongoing story. Keep checking Patch for more details — updates will be posted immedialy on the Wilmette-Kenilworth's Facebook page and in our daily newsletter, which you can sign up for here


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here