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Shorewood supports creating SCEC task force and leaves open hiring a consultant
Summary
The council endorsed forming a Shorewood Community and Event Center (SCEC) task force to recommend how to make the facility self‑sustaining and asked staff to recruit specific skills; councilmembers said a consultant should be hired if the volunteer pool lacks needed marketing or financial expertise.
Shorewood councilmembers on April 28 backed a staff proposal to form a task force to analyze the Shorewood Community and Event Center (SCEC) and recommend ways to make the facility financially self‑sustaining.
Parks and Recreation Manager Czech presented a conceptual task‑force charter and timeline. Councilmember DiGruttolo said the primary objective should be to develop recommendations that would make the SCEC self‑supporting — including repurposing options or new revenue approaches if the facility cannot be made self‑sustaining. She asked for a financial plan that canvasses alternatives and revenue strategies.
Councilmember Sanschagrin said staff and a task force should investigate marketing and ways to make the SCEC’s location less concealed to potential renters. Councilmember Gorham and others expressed concern that an all‑volunteer task force recruited through the Shore Report might lack hospitality or marketing expertise, and suggested either providing marketing support to volunteers or committing to hire a consultant if the volunteer group doesn’t include needed skills. DiGruttolo proposed a decision point — for example, 60 to 90 days — after which the City would hire a consultant if the task force composition was insufficient.
Mayor Labadie encouraged outreach to frequent renters of the SCEC and to the Vantage high‑school program as potential sources of project support or participants. Staff was asked to return to Council with a proposed task force structure, targeted skills desired, and timeline aligned to budget recommendations slated for March 2026.
What’s next: Council indicated support for forming the task force but did not authorize funding at the work session; staff will draft membership criteria and a timeline and will return to the Council for further direction.
