Kenosha County committees approve Fox River tubing, beer‑garden and nature‑center contracts after debate over term, audits and liability

Kenosha County’s Public Works and Finance committees approved three separate parks contracts after detailed debate over reporting, liability and contract length. Parks staff presented the proposals as part of an effort to standardize and expand revenue‑generating partnerships in county parks.

Wyatt Morris of the Parks Department presented the first contract, a permit and vendor agreement to formalize a river‑tubing business called “Float to Fox” at Fox River Park. Morris said the operation would rent tubes, shuttle customers from a designated parking area to the boat launch and require the operator to keep an emergency action plan on site. “Gordon Kozlowski, who’s the owner and operator, is actually with us now…so far, they’ve done about one and a half seasons with us on special event permits,” Morris said, describing the safety and operational provisions he says were reviewed by corporation counsel and emergency management.

Supervisors supported the recreational opportunity but sought tighter language. Supervisor Florida Balsky pressed to have the five‑year renewal authority brought back to the committee and county board for review, asked for mandatory annual public financial reports, clearer definitions of “gross sales” and spelled‑out audit rights. “I think in these public‑private relationships…we should be seeing…an annual reconciliation and operating report,” Balsky said. Parks staff said the contract already requires monthly POS exports and a binded emergency action plan on site; staff also agreed to clarify repair thresholds and fix formatting issues in the insurance schedule.

The committees approved Float to Fox, with members saying clarifying edits could be completed by counsel before full board distribution.

The Petrified Springs Beer Garden contract prompted the meeting’s lengthiest discussion. Parks staff recommended awarding a 10‑year term to the incumbent vendor to encourage capital improvements; the contract keeps the county’s revenue share at 15 percent and includes strengthened audit provisions. Several supervisors argued a decade is too long for a food‑and‑beverage concession and moved to amend the agreement to a five‑year term. Parks staff responded that the 10‑year term was included in the original RFP to enable vendors to amortize planned investments and that the incumbent was the only applicant.

“Ten‑year contracts seem to be fit when private businesses are expected to invest substantially into capital improvements,” explained parks staff. Supervisor William Grady and others said they were sympathetic to encouraging investment but worried a 10‑year lock would reduce county leverage if operations decline. The motion to shorten to five years failed; the committees then approved the contract as written. Several supervisors asked staff to document annual reporting, third‑party vendor insurance rules, assignment and sublease protocols, and to correct a scrivener’s error on the stated revenue share percentage.

A third contract, a routine renewal for the nonprofit Pringle Nature Center, drew minimal opposition. Parks staff noted Pringle was the only respondent to the RFP but had a strong proposal and long record of programming and community events. Committees approved the renewal and several supervisors praised the nonprofit’s conservation and educational work.

The committees directed parks staff and corporation counsel to refine audit and repair language, clarify renewal authority language, and distribute corrected resolutions ahead of the full county board meeting.