Suisun to Discuss Boat Excursion Lease

Suisun to Discuss Boat Excursion Lease
By Ian Thompson

SUISUN CITY - The Suisun City Council is voting Tuesday on whether to give the owner of the California Sunset a three-year lease to run boat excursions from the city's public boat dock.

The proposed lease was set for a City Council vote in mid-March until Suisun City Mayor Pete Sanchez yanked it from the agenda without making any public comment.

Sanchez said later he felt five years was too long a period for the lease. He also said the lease didn't have a clause he wanted that would allow the city to terminate it without cause.

This lease, if approved, allows owner Dan Thiemann to tie up his 45-foot boat at the city-owned dock for three years. It also contains two one-year extensions if both parties agree.

In return, Thiemann will turn over 10 percent of what he makes and provide no-cost tours to school children and participants in Suisun City Recreation program participants.

Up to now, the California Sunset has been running tours from the city's public boat dock on a month-to-month basis and turning 10 percent of its gross revenues to the city.

Thiemann had been filling the city's goal of bringing in an entertainment boat for some time. The city had another, larger entertainment boat docked here several years ago, but that boat lasted only a year before leaving after running a financial loss.

The California Sunset has brought in $38,000 between July 2006 and February with little or no advertising. The city got $3,796 of that.

Reach Ian Thompson at 427-6976 or at ithompson@dailyrepublic.net.

At a glance

Suisun City Council to vote on entertainment boat agreement

Who: Suisun City Council

What: Lease with the excursion boat California Sunset

When: 7 p.m. Tuesday

Where: Suisun City Council chamber, 701 Civic Center Blvd.

Info: 421-7300