Escanaba council delays yacht club lease decision, asks for public-benefit plan and membership data

The Escanaba City Council discussed the Yacht Club lease on Feb. 5 but postponed a decision until the council's March 19 meeting, asking Yacht Club representatives to return with more detail on public programming, access for transient boaters and membership/slip-rental figures.

Administration said the proposed lease closely resembles the city's previous agreement with only small changes, but council members pressed for measurable public benefits in exchange for continued use of prime city-owned harbor property. Multiple council members questioned whether a nominal "dollar a year" lease still reflected the public benefit expected of an organization occupying city land. "I would agree and I think a dollar a year is not anywhere near where we need to be," one council member said.

Council requested information staff can gather before the March meeting: the yacht club's nonprofit status and filings, membership counts, how many members rent slips from the city, examples of events or youth programming the club would host, and any plans to make facilities more available to the public. Administration said it can return membership and slip figures and suggested discussing specific public-benefit measures — for example, set hours for welcoming transients or hosting youth boating certification and other public events.

What happens next: Staff will request more detailed proposals from the Yacht Club and return to council on March 19. No lease vote occurred at the Feb. 5 meeting.