WPD Considers Management Agreement on Harbor Lease

As renewal of the , the Park District has admitted to looking into a potential management agreement with the Wilmette Harbor Association.

Initially WPD thought sharing lease ownership would not be possible because "it was staff’s impression that if we sign a lease and turn over harbor management to them [WHA], then we wouldn't have any involvement, yet we're the ones who sign the lease and that made us uncomfortable," Park District Director Steve Wilson told Patch. The lease official expires July 2012, and the bidding process typically begins about a year in advance. WHA, a non-profit, has been in possession of the lease for the past 50 years.

"Our board is looking for things that relate to operational difficulties, they’ve tried to indicate their largest when the WMRD has to open the ." Wilson said, "It’s really getting to understand the operations the best they can, not only whether we want to be involved, but also wether there should be a management agreement."

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Meanwhile WHA President and Village Fire Chief, Jim Dominik, said the reports of association approaching WPD regarding the lease are false.

"We never approached them about the lease. It was September that the Sanitary District [also known as the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago] told us to come down to a meeting with the park district regarding harbor maintenance," Dominik said, "Up until that point, WPD staff had always expressed that they had no interest."

As of July 23, however, the Park District indicated an "interest in a management agreement," according to Dominik.

News of the management agreement consideration come on the heels of WHA releasing its long-term maintenance costs during a July board meeting.

"We’re looking at $10 million plus over the next number of years, it could increase to upwards of $20 million," Dominik said.

Although the average annual maintenance cost of the harbor is hard to predict, a guaranteed annual expense is dredging, which can be about $150,000 a year, according to the harbor's executive director Sabine Herber. Capital improvements, such as those compiled by Shabica above, are covered by membership fees, which are "$81 per linear foot, but can go up about $9 per foot if electrical outlets are included," Herber said.

And while lease renewal is still up in the air, Dominik cautioned that the potential financial risks involved with lease ownership could be an unfair burden for residents, especially those without boats in the harbor. Currently 104 slip holders in the harbor are also Wilmette residents.

"Even if you throw all current 292 slipholders out and put all residents in, you’re only going to accomodate 1 percent of the Village’s population," Dominik said.

Stay tuned to Patch for more on the Wilmette Harbor lease renewal. In the meantime, join the discussion on our Facebook Page.