County approves MOU with Richland School District for Simons usage, greenlights grants for courts and trails and names former wellness trails after Marty Brewer

The Richland County Board of Supervisors approved a memorandum of understanding with the Richland School District on May 2025 to allow joint use of the Simons Recreation Complex while preserving county control over safety and facility access.

The memorandum of understanding (MOU), approved by motion of Supervisor Cosgrove and seconded by Supervisor McKee, formalizes scheduling, custodial expectations and liability allocation for the gym and associated facilities. The board adopted the MOU over two dissenting votes (Supervisor Cooley and Supervisor Gilpin voted against the motion), and the agreement can be rescinded on 30 days’ notice.

Why it matters: The MOU is intended to restore and expand local use of the Simons facility after a period of limited access following UW Platteville–Richland’s withdrawal. County leaders said the agreement provides a short-term framework while longer-term management and funding options are explored, including possible greater involvement by the Simons Recreation Complex Foundation.

Board discussion and details - Liability and insurance: The county requires proof of the school district’s liability insurance before keys or access would be granted. The MOU places primary liability with the party making primary use of the building but reserves the county’s right to restrict access to areas that create a health or safety risk (for example, mechanical or boiler access near the weight room). - Custodial and upkeep: The MOU requires users to “leave the facility in the condition they found it.” The agreement states recurring or severe maintenance problems could prompt amendment or termination of the MOU; broken equipment or a safety issue would be reported to county staff. - Use and scheduling: Initially the agreement contemplates primary use by the Richland School District and Simons; community organizations would not automatically be granted independent use but could be accommodated through Simons’ event scheduling (a group could request Simons to sanction an event). The county will continue to pay utilities for the campus; the MOU does not shift utility responsibility to the school district. - Field maintenance: The school district will mow the soccer field as part of the arrangement; otherwise, custodial and general cleaning responsibilities are handled by the user groups under the MOU.

Grants, donations and naming tied to the Simons campus - Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF): The board authorized the Simons Recreation Complex director to apply for and accept a 2025 LWCF grant of up to $150,000 for renovation of the former UW Platteville–Richland tennis and basketball courts (50% federal match). The county intends to meet the local match via donations rather than tax levy; if less match funding is raised, the project scope would be adjusted proportionally. - Recreational Trails Program (RTP): The board authorized an application for a 2025 RTP grant up to $40,000 for signage, wayfinding and benches on the two-mile former wellness trail. RTP requires a 20% local match; the Simons foundation and other donors have indicated support for the county’s share. - Donations and other grants: The board accepted $9,113 in donations to Simons for equipment and upgrades and approved three spring 2025 program grants: a $500 recreation class grant, $3,000 for free swim lessons for third graders, and $10,000 to fund transportation so lessons can be delivered during school time to students in the district. - Trail naming: The board adopted Resolution No. 25-30 to rename the former UW Platteville–Richland wellness trails the “Marty Brewer Nature Trails.” A motion to postpone adoption in order to draft naming criteria failed; the naming resolution was then adopted on a voice vote.

What the board said - Several supervisors emphasized the short-term nature of the MOU and the need to find a sustainable long-term operator or funding model for Simons. Supervisor Gill and others mentioned the Simons Recreation Complex Foundation as a potential partner for long-term management and fundraising. - Concerns raised included whether the county would bear ongoing facility maintenance costs, whether the school district would be allowed to charge admission for events (the MOU prohibits charging admission), and how repair and capital needs would be funded if usage increases.

Next steps and implementation - The Simons Recreation Complex director will submit the LWCF and RTP grant applications; if awarded (anticipated notification Jan. 1, 2026), the county would have up to two years to complete projects and to secure matching funds. - The MOU is effective immediately and includes provisions allowing the county to revoke access to specific areas for health and safety reasons. The board directed staff and Simons leadership to coordinate scheduling and insurance verification before final operational steps.

Ending note: The board framed the package of actions as a near-term approach to restore use of the Simons campus and to pursue outside funding for modest capital improvements while continuing to evaluate long-term governance and funding options.