Mismanagement of La Crosse boat harbor could lead to lawsuit from DNR

Current operator has numerous complaints
and owes thousands, according to city

This might be the tail end of, perhaps, the final boating season for the La Crosse Municipal Boat Harbor. At least, as it’s operated now. 

The water is high there. The docks are filled with boats, still in their slips. 

Flood waters are probably keeping many boaters from getting out, though duck hunters have come and gone over the weekend and a few others fishing from the dock. 

The weekend on the docks was pretty peaceful but a possible upheaval is moving forward as it is unclear who will be operating the facility, if anyone, next year. 

The city has filed eviction papers to get owner Steve Mills out – a lease he’s held for nearly 39 years. There are ongoing complaints from the city about Mills – has been for a few years, since the city’s parks dept. took on oversight of the harbor. The two sides reworked a lease in 2013 – it expires in 2027 – and city attorneys say Mills isn’t sticking to the agreement – one that included more restrictions and clarified issues of the former lease. It also provided a 10-percent nonresident surcharge.

There are numerous complaints about Mills. The biggest may be that he’s violating numerous environmental rules, in which the DNR is threatening legal action of its own. Another letter from the DNR in July warned of enforcement actions by state and courts

That’s a threat that could make the city liable. One DNR representative says the agency has had a long history of dealing with Mills skirting state standards. 

The DNR complaints hover around dock construction that violates environmental standards, illegal decks attached to docks that have grills and chairs on them and unlicensed barges that are not operated like boats.

The DNR says the site is obviously one that can be improved for better water recreational access.

Other complaints state Mills is dodging paying sales taxes, is missing a valid state license and is avoiding paying a nonresident surcharge for those who rent the docks but don’t live in the city. 

The city’s latest notice of default to Mills in June claims he owes $6,500 in nonresident surcharge fees.

Whether Mills stays or goes could depend on the outcome of his just-filed bankruptcy case. For his part, Mills has long claimed the city is being hyper vigilant in its enforcement actions.