Ironton council’s parks and recreation board is considering a change at the Storms Creek Boat Dock.

Tuesday, January 30, 2001

Ironton council’s parks and recreation board is considering a change at the Storms Creek Boat Dock.

Jack Hager’s lease on the dock expired two years ago, and Hager has been operating it on a handshake since, Mayor Bob Cleary told board members last week.

At that time, the city didn’t renew the lease and advertised for bids, Cleary said.

The sole bidder on the dock lease wanted the city to provide docking facilities, but that wasn’t mentioned in the advertised lease, so he backed out, the mayor said.

Since then, the city has looked into grant funding for the dock and the removal of silt built up in the stream, which empties into the Ohio River.

The board discussed an operations management contract because the grants do not favoring lease of the land.

Such a contract, where the city retains control of the land and the leasee only bids to operate the facility, found favor among board members.

"I would be in favor of an operational management lease for the summer and then get the grants," chairman Richard Price said.

However, seeking bids for such a contract will depend on what happens if the current operator moves out.

Cleary is gathering information, then will act – at the parks board’s request – to seek bids for an operator, which would also be open to the current operator.

The mayor and his staff are also working on language to include in the operations management agreement.