Walworth County panel refers Alpine Valley 2025 business plan and concert license back to administrator after public hearing

The Walworth County Board Executive Committee on Monday opened a public hearing on Alpine Valley Music Theater’s 2025 business plan, camping operational plan and special sanitary permit and then voted to refer the package back to the county administrator for additional revisions.

The hearing, which included a presentation from the venue’s on‑site manager, focused on public safety communications, noise limits, sheriff staffing costs and several clarifying edits to the draft business license. Committee members also pressed for an updated certificate of insurance before any final approval.

Adam Burrough, general manager for Shell Pine Valley, described changes discussed with county leaders and the sheriff’s office to improve emergency communications and day‑of operations. “We’ve got…contacts with cell providers and temporary cell sites that are possible to come out onto the property for the season to give us that extra bandwidth to communicate,” Burrough said. He told the committee Alpine Valley will again use an on‑site FM transmitter and that, in an emergency, the transmitter can be switched remotely to broadcast safety instructions.

Burrough also reported that the sheriff’s office suggested raising a per‑ticket public safety fee from the current $2.25 to $2.70 “to cover the cost of goods and services of having the sheriff’s department out on‑site for public safety.” He said event organizers want a limited curfew extension in extreme weather situations: “the decision to be made by the officer in charge on the night of the event…from what’s currently 12AM to 12:30AM, just to try to get the concert in on that night after a weather event has cleared.”

Burrough said the license language should also require that, if Live Nation reschedules an event, the sheriff’s office be reimbursed for labor and goods if the original date does not take place because the sheriff is paid on a per‑ticket basis.

On noise, Burrough proposed a maximum of 105 decibels measured on the A‑scale, taken at the front‑of‑house measurement point: “we should not exceed a hundred and 5 decibels measured on the a scale…that’ll be measured and recorded from the front of house.” Committee members discussed enforcement and evidentiary issues of decibel readings after one member noted past court rulings that required certified measurement to be admissible.

Supervisor Al Stanek raised multiple procedural and documentation concerns, including an out‑of‑date certificate of insurance on page 57 of the packet. "That's a big concern before the contract is signed. We need to have an up to date liability certificate," Stanek said. Burrough replied the venue will provide an updated certificate of insurance for the current year and will work with county counsel on exact language.

Committee members and staff also discussed logistical details the memo flagged for cleanup: an identified “bridal share” lot shown on maps but not described in the text, inconsistent wording about restroom provision, resident passes for access during event traffic, and the feasibility of phone‑system upgrades and temporary communication measures for this season.

After questions from committee members, County staff recommended the packet be returned to the administrator to incorporate the requested clarifications and required documentation. The committee voted to close the public hearing and then to refer the Alpine Valley materials back to the county administrator for revision; the motion carried.

The referral means the license packet will be revised to show the updated certificate of insurance, clarified maps and restroom wording, a written plan for emergency communications and any agreed fee or reimbursement language that the sheriff and venue negotiate. The committee did not adopt the license as written at the meeting.

The public hearing was opened and closed by roll call prior to the referral; no members of the public spoke for or against the application during the three‑minute public comment period.

What’s next: county staff will work with the venue, the sheriff’s office and county counsel to incorporate the requested language and return the revised business license and supporting documents to the committee for further consideration.