Council delays decision on Willow Lake boat-rental contract after public protests

The Prescott City Council voted to postpone consideration of the Willow Lake boat-rental concession contract after several residents, the incumbent operator and the recommended bidder raised questions about the procurement process.

Councilman Ted Moore moved to postpone the vote; the motion passed by a 3-2 vote. The move followed extensive public comment from the incumbent concessionaire Prescott Outdoors and from Born to Be Wild Adventures, the company the city staff recommended for the contract.

Why it matters: The concession provides public boat rentals at Willow Lake and generates concession revenue for the city. Speakers said the procurement process and missing records created perceived unfairness; council members said they needed additional information to ensure transparency and consistent application of procurement rules.

City staff, represented in the meeting by Tim Legler, deputy director of Recreation Services, described the solicitation process: an RFP published in February, a mandatory pre-proposal meeting, written RFP scoring by a review panel, and in-person interviews. Legler said the review panel included recreation services, human resources and public works and that the evaluation criteria included proposed operations (30%), proposer experience (25%), inventory (20%), customer service (15%) and marketing (10%), and that oral interviews were weighted separately. He said the recommended proposer scored highest overall.

Incumbent Prescott Outdoors owner Matt Britz told the council he had held the contract since 2008 and said he had not received requested public records related to the RFP in time to appeal. He told council that two reviewers at the interview said they had not read his full proposal, and he asked for a pause so he could obtain records and pursue an appeal under the RFP rules. Britz also cited concerns that an RFP addendum listing historical city commission revenues for the past five years was omitted from the contract being considered and that published figures understated Prescott Outdoors’ past payments to the city.

Born to Be Wild owner Mariah Dilbeck disputed allegations that she had operated without approvals; she said Parks and Recreation had given written permission to operate in 2018 and provided a special-use permit in 2023. Several public commenters urged delay, asked for more transparency and questioned whether review procedures were followed consistently. Other speakers supported Born to Be Wild and said the company had invested to meet city requirements.

Council discussion focused on the fairness and completeness of the evaluation. Council members noted that four reviewers were listed but one did not submit a score, that scoring sheets showed Born to Be Wild with the top scores from the participating reviewers, and that the prior contract did not include an exclusivity clause now proposed in the new contract. Council members debated whether to accept staff recommendations or to require additional review. Some members emphasized deference to the procurement process; others said the process, as executed, needed closer scrutiny before awarding a new long-term contract that affects livelihoods.

Action taken: Councilman Ted Moore moved to postpone the item for two weeks for further review; the motion passed 3-2. The city manager and city attorney were directed (by council consensus during discussion) to review procurement documentation, follow up on outstanding public-records requests and meet with parties before the item returns to council.

What happens next: The city manager and the city attorney were asked to gather records and evaluate the questions raised by the bidders and public commenters; if council reopens the procurement, the city may restart the RFP process or bring a clarified award to a future council meeting. The existing Prescott Outdoors contract remains in force through July 14, 2025, unless the city pursues a different course. No final contract was approved at the May 13 meeting.