Despite in excess of 117 persons on the waiting list to rent city boat slips and buoys, some for up to 10 years, Alderman’s Marsala and Krause make a motion to renew leases for 24 buoys and 14 slips to three corporations till 2011. The prices they are paying are less than individuals on the waiting list would pay if they could lease them.
Marsala argues we should renew the leases for one year because we will have “an excess of buoys for the coming year… We should give these people (the corporations) the one year lease and take the revenue from it.” Marsala went on to state that they pay close to what non-resident property owners pay for buoy and boat slips. “They are within $25 of nonresident property owner fees.”
Non-resident non-property owners pay $2500 – $2710/year. Gage Marine is currently paying $1883/year/ boat slip. Around the last time these leases were up for renewal Gage Marine took members of the city council on free dinner/cocktail boat tours of Lake Geneva.
There are currently 72 resident and 45 non-resident property owners who on the waiting list for a buoy or slip. Three years ago the city stopped taking persons on the waiting list. It takes about 10 years for residents on the waiting list to get a boat slip. The market price for boat slips is between $4000 and $8000/year.
Aldermans Dunham and Roehrer say we should wait to see how the rental season goes. The Council then unanimously vote to approve the one year lease and change the current three year lease to a one year lease and “the committee will review and recommend the extension of those leases and rates. ” Alderman Marsala is delighted; he heads the Piers and Harbor Committee.
