Sweeping panorama. Off season the Boat House is open Thursdays through Sundays. Menu ranges from burgers and soups to prime rib, walleye and salmon entrees. Image: Steve Lunde

City Council seeks ideas for future use of site

WINONA, Minn. – The City Council voted 7-1 to seek proposals for operating the city-owned building currently occupied by the Boat House restaurant on the Levee. For 12 years the Boat House has been operated by Lyon Smith through an ongoing non-competitive arrangement. The new deal invites competitive proposals for the future of the building, which has a sweeping riverfront panorama. Smith would have preferred continuing the old arrangement, He noted that he has invested heavily in the building. It would be unfair, he said, to deny him to continue seeking a return on his investment. Smith, of course, can submit a proposal to keep the restaurant. There have been no complaints about the operation. The Council’s decision continues a preference toward seeking facility operators rather than routine if not automatic renewals. The recent history of going to competitive proposals:

> 2025: The airport in Goodview.

> 2018: Prairie Island campground.

> 2018: The yard waste composting site.

The policy, however, has been uneven. The Latsch Island marina contract has been renewed without seeking alternative operators. So too the Bud King hockey arena and the Huff Street tourist greeting center on Lake Winona.

Verbatim

Patrick Menton, city parks and facilities director, to the Winona Post: “An open request-for-proposals process allows community members the opportunity to bring fresh ideas, encourages innovation, and supports small business development. No private entities should be entitled to a public resource just because they’ve always been there. Periodic evaluation through an open process holds all operators accountable, making sure they continue to provide quality service and value to the public.”

How they voted
For competitive proposals  

SteveYoung (1st Ward, West End)

Jeff Hyma (2nd Ward, West Side)

Scott Sherman (mayor)

George Borzyskowski (4th Ward, East End)

Sam Zierden Shortridge (3rd Ward, downtown)

Jason Dicus (at large)

Against

Jerome Christenson (at large)