City unaware some boats stay in municipal harbor year long

City has bid of $50,000 to run harbor. 

The city of La Crosse wants to be sure that nobody gets kicked out of the municipal boat harbor.

Several boat owners went to City Hall Thursday night for assurance that whoever takes charge of the harbor doesn’t force them to leave.

La Crosse Parks and Rec. director Steve Carlyon said the city wasn’t aware that some boat owners try to stay at the harbor all year. 

“The boats we didn’t really know about it, at least from the city staff, from people that were living out there,” Carlyon said. “I believe there were six or seven of them?”

Attorney Phil Addis says that in three years of contract talks with harbor manager Steve Mills, no one ever mentioned year-long docking.  

One potential manager has acquired rights to the harbor and has until the end of the month to pay the full $50,000 offer for the property.

If that doesn’t happen, a second bidder has offered $45,000 to run the harbor.