Under new management

Nemadji Trailer Park and Camping is coming under new management.

The city has negotiated an agreement with Bachand Group Inc. to manage the day-to-day operations of the mobile home park and campground on the Nemadji River near East Fifth Street.

Bachand Group Inc. will take on the responsibility for collecting the rent, daily oversight and maintenance, and management of the park.

The park has been without an onsite manager since Oct. 1, when the 30-year lease with Dick and Cindy Larson expired.

While city staff has been temporarily overseeing the major operations of the park, it requires a day-to-day manager to ensure the tenants are properly cared for, according to Mayor Bruce Hagen. Bachand Group was contacted for assistance with several items in the park and has agreed to a one-year contract with renewal provisions to take over the daily management of the facility.

“They’re full service,” said Port and Planning Director Jason Serck.

Under the terms of the agreement, Serck said, the company will manage the day-to-day responsibilities such as reading meters, collecting rent and fees, respond to tenant requests and maintain common areas by provide snow removal and lawn mowing and other duties needed to ensure the safety of residents of the park. Bachand Group will also provide an onsite manager for the property.

In exchange, the company will receive 10 percent of the monthly gross receipts collected.

Hagen said he’s grateful the city was able to find someone willing to take on the day-to-day management with winter coming.

This is a good thing, said Councilor Mick MacKenzie, who is hopeful the new management will quell tenants concerns about losing their homes.

Serck said the city and Bachand Group is planning to meet with residents of the park after the first of the year.

Bachand Group won’t own the park, which is different than the arrangement the city had with the Larsons, so expenditures exceeding $500 for any one item requires approval and funding from the city. The city is also responsible to respond to emergency repairs at its expense.

Eventually, decisions will have to be made to come to a more permanent solution, Serck said.

He said the goal behind the management agreement is to ensure the residents of the park are still receiving the services they need to live there.

“I think the council has made it pretty clear to us as staff and the mayor, we need to continue this as a park right now, and we need to work with the people (tenants),” Serck said.

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