Special Common Council Meeting — Agenda Packet

June 8, 2026 Common Council Agenda 1 City of Lake Geneva, 626 Geneva St, Lake Geneva, WI 53147-262.248.3673-www.cityoflakegeneva.gov Special Common Council Agenda Monday, June 8, 2026 - 5:00 PM Lake Geneva City Hall; Council Chambers Members: Mayor Todd Krause, Council President Cindy Yager, Council Vice President Cathy Stoodley, Alderpersons: JaNelle Powers, Sherri Ames, Linda Frame, Mary Jo Fesenmaier, Brian Smith and Joel Hoiland 1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. Presentations/Discussion regarding contract, turnkey transport services for the City of Lake Geneva a. Dousman Transport Company b. Lakefront Shuttle c. Lake Geneva Transit Co. 4. Adjournment Requests from persons with disabilities, who need assistance to participate in this meeting or hearing, should be made to the City Clerk’s office in advance so the appropriate accommodations can be made. Page 1 of 13 Agenda Item Memo Committee: Common Council Meeting Date: June 8, 2026 Subject / Title: Consideration and Discussion: Requests for Proposal for City trolley system Submitted By: Chris Bennett Background / Request The three companies that responded to the city’s Request for Proposals (RFPs) with contractor- operated models will talk through and answer any questions about their proposal(s). The information included in the May 26 Common Council meeting packet is included. Dousman Transport Company (DTC) will speak first. Lakefront Shuttle will speak second and Lake Geneva Transit Company will speak third. Each company will give a 10-15-minute-long presentation, with any time remaining in their allotted 20 minutes devoted to questions. No decision is being made at the Special Meeting. The Special Meeting is for consideration and discussion. Any action will occur under the appropriate agenda item in the ensuing Common Council meeting. Page 2 of 13 Overview The City put out a Request for Proposal (RFP) to operate a transit system in Lake Geneva during the period of time in which Hwy. 50 is under construction. Specifically, the transit system will run from the beginning of May through the end of September. The RFP was open from May 1-14, 2026. The City received significant interest from several companies. Scoring The rubric used for scoring each RFP is included below. Criterion Weight Poor (0-3) Adequate (4-6) Good (7-8) Excellent (9-10) Relevant Experience 25% Little/no similar experience Some similar projects Multiple relevant projects Extensive proven success Cost & Value 25% Unclear or unrealistic cost Basic cost clarity Competitive and reasonable Highly competitive and transparent Operational Approach 20% Weak or unclear plan Basic plan Detailed and workable Highly detailed and reliable Service Quality & Fleet 15% Poor quality or unclear Meets minimum standards Good quality and compliance High-quality, customer-focused Local Understanding 15% Little understanding Basic awareness Good local insight Strong tailored understanding Weighted RFP Evaluation Comparison Proposer Relevant Experience (25%) Cost & Value (25%) Operational Approach (20%) Service Quality & Fleet (15%) Local Understanding (15%) Weighted Total GO Riteway Transportation Group 9.5 9.0 9.5 9.0 8.5 9.13 / 10 Coach USA – City- Owned Option 10.0 8.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.00 / 10 Dousman Transport – City- Owned Option 8.5 8.0 9.0 8.5 10.0 8.75 / 10 Dousman Transport – Turnkey Option 8.5 7.5 9.0 8.5 10.0 8.63 / 10 Lake Geneva Transit Co. / DTC Investor Model 7.5 8.5 8.0 8.0 10.0 8.35 / 10 Lakefront Shuttle – City-Owned Option 7.0 7.5 8.0 8.0 10.0 7.88 / 10 Lakefront Shuttle – Contractor-Owned Turnkey 7.0 6.5 8.0 8.5 10.0 7.70 / 10 Page 3 of 13 Narrative Evaluation 1. GO Riteway Transportation Group Weighted Score: 9.13 / 10 GO Riteway submitted the strongest overall proposal based on the weighted evaluation criteria. The proposal demonstrated exceptional organizational depth, operational infrastructure, and transportation experience. GO Riteway operates one of the region’s largest transportation systems with extensive experience managing circulator, commuter, university, resort, and event transportation programs throughout the Midwest. The company demonstrated significant experience operating in high-volume, destination-oriented environments similar to Lake Geneva. Operationally, GO Riteway provided the most comprehensive management structure, including 24/7 dispatch, dedicated account supervision, regional staffing support, KPI monitoring, driver training programs, and operational redundancy. Their proposal reflected a mature transportation management organization capable of scaling operations and responding to changing traffic conditions, special events, and construction impacts. GO Riteway also submitted the lowest overall traditional operating proposal at approximately $207,600, creating a strong value proposition relative to the level of operational support offered. While the proposal was operationally strong, it was somewhat less specifically tailored to Lake Geneva’s local tourism dynamics and stakeholder environment than some locally focused proposals. The City owns the trolleys under GO Riteway’s proposal. Strengths  Most extensive transportation experience  Strongest dispatch and operational infrastructure  Competitive pricing  Extensive staffing depth and redundancy  Advanced operational controls and safety systems Weaknesses  Less locally tailored than competing local operators  City retains maintenance responsibility for trolley vehicles Pricing  Estimated total two-year cost: $207,600 plus fuel and maintenance pass-throughs 2. Coach USA – City-owned option Weighted Score: 9.0 / 10 Coach USA submitted a strong proposal for the City of Lake Geneva’s seasonal trolley service, demonstrating extensive experience in municipal transit, commuter transportation, airport shuttles, university routes, and seasonal event transportation throughout Wisconsin and nationally. The company’s longstanding operational history, regional staffing infrastructure, and established maintenance and dispatch systems strengthen the proposal and reduce operational risk for the City. Financially, Coach USA submitted a revised 2027 operating cost proposal of $166,000, with 2028 costs projected at $173,040 plus fuel as a pass-through expense. While not the lowest-cost proposal received, the pricing was transparent and supported by significant operational depth, regional resources, and institutional capacity. Strengths  Extensive municipal and public transit experience throughout Wisconsin Page 4 of 13  Strong operational infrastructure including dispatch, staffing, and maintenance systems  Significant regional and national fleet resources  Proven ability to scale operations for festivals and tourism peaks  Comprehensive safety, ADA, and compliance programs  Strong reporting, analytics, and performance tracking capabilities  Detailed implementation and operational readiness plan  Low operational and staffing risk due to company size and experience  Strong understanding of Lake Geneva’s tourism and congestion challenges Weaknesses  Less tourism-oriented branding and destination-focused presentation compared to boutique trolley operators  More institutional transit-management approach rather than a customized visitor-experience model  Pricing was competitive but not among the lowest-cost submissions  Fuel costs remain a pass-through expense subject to market fluctuation Pricing  Estimated total two-year cost: $339,400 plus fuel and maintenance pass-throughs 3. Dousman Transport – City-Owned Option Weighted Score: 8.75 / 10 Dousman Transport submitted one of the strongest locally grounded proposals. The company demonstrated substantial familiarity with Lake Geneva operations, tourism activity, seasonal traffic conditions, and special event transportation needs. Their proposal emphasized local workforce familiarity, regional operational presence, and existing transportation relationships within the Lake Geneva market. The proposal included a detailed operational framework with dispatch oversight, incident response procedures, route familiarization, driver training, ridership reporting, and operational accountability systems. Dousman’s proposal balanced operational competence with practical understanding of the community’s transportation challenges and visitor expectations. While pricing was higher than GO Riteway, the proposal remained competitive and offered strong value considering the local operational familiarity and customer-service orientation. Strengths  Strong local operational familiarity  Detailed operational and incident management procedures  Existing Lake Geneva event experience  Strong tourism and customer-service focus Weaknesses  Higher overall cost than GO Riteway  Smaller operational scale and staffing depth Pricing  Estimated total two-year cost: $251,806 plus fuel and maintenance pass-throughs 4. Dousman Transport – Turnkey Option Weighted Score: 8.63 / 10 Dousman’s turnkey option maintained the same operational strengths and local familiarity as the City- owned proposal while transferring additional operational responsibility away from the City. The proposal Page 5 of 13 included vehicle operation, staffing, dispatch, cleaning, maintenance coordination, and operational oversight. The turnkey structure provided operational simplicity and reduced direct City management involvement while leveraging Dousman’s strong local transportation experience. The revised proposal total of approximately $273,990 remained competitive within the turnkey category. Strengths  Strong local transportation presence  Proven operational procedures  Simplified turnkey structure  Good balance of operational reliability and local familiarity Weaknesses  Higher total cost than City-owned structures  Less innovative financially than investor-backed proposal Pricing  Estimated total two-year cost: $273,990 plus fuel and maintenance pass-throughs 5. Lake Geneva Transit Co. / DTC Model & Investor Administered options Weighted Score: 8.35 / 10 The Lake Geneva Transit Co. proposal presented the most innovative and financially creative structure. Rather than requiring direct City trolley ownership, the proposal established a privately funded, investor- owned trolley system supported operationally by Dousman Transport Company. The proposal strongly emphasized circulation management, parking integration, tourism mobility, and downtown economic activity rather than solely transportation operations. It introduced potential fare- sharing opportunities, parking revenue integration, and long-term operational flexibility. The investor- backed model reduced municipal capital exposure while allowing the City flexibility to evaluate, expand, or discontinue the system as needed. However, the proposal introduced additional administrative complexity related to insurance, governance, revenue-sharing structures, and operational coordination between ownership, operations, and the City. The proposal also includes a fare structure that is to be determined and could be between $3-$5. Strengths  Most innovative financing structure  Potential fare and parking revenue participation  Reduced municipal capital exposure  Strong understanding of tourism circulation strategy Weaknesses  More administratively and legally complex  Less direct transportation operational experience at ownership level Pricing  Estimated total two-year cost: $161,740 to $191,740 plus fuel and maintenance pass- throughs Page 6 of 13 6. Lakefront Shuttle – City-Owned Option Weighted Score: 7.88 / 10 Lakefront Shuttle submitted a locally focused proposal emphasizing direct owner involvement, hands-on management, and personalized service delivery. The proposal demonstrated familiarity with downtown Lake Geneva operations, seasonal congestion, and tourism transportation demands. Operationally, the proposal was straightforward and practical, including direct management oversight, daily inspections, route familiarity, and customer service expectations. The proposal relied heavily on owner-operated accountability and local knowledge rather than large-scale operational infrastructure. Although pricing remained reasonable, maintenance, fuel, and certain operating expenses were passed through separately to the City, reducing overall pricing certainty. Strengths  Strong local understanding  Personalized owner-operated structure  Straightforward operations plan  Strong accountability emphasis Weaknesses  Limited organizational scale  Less demonstrated large-scale transportation experience  Pass-through costs create additional uncertainty Pricing  Estimated total two-year cost: $265,600 plus fuel and maintenance pass-throughs 7. Lakefront Shuttle – Contractor-Owned Turnkey Weighted Score: 7.70 / 10 Lakefront Shuttle’s contractor-owned turnkey proposal provided the most comprehensive risk-transfer structure for the City. Under this model, Lakefront Shuttle would acquire, own, insure, maintain, and operate the trolley vehicles while providing complete operational management services. The proposal significantly reduced municipal ownership and maintenance risk while simplifying administration for the City. However, this structure also produced the highest overall cost among submitted proposals. While the proposal demonstrated strong local understanding and direct management accountability, it lacked the operational scale and infrastructure depth demonstrated by GO Riteway and Dousman Transport. Strengths  Lowest City ownership and liability exposure  Full-service turnkey structure  Strong local management involvement  Predictable operational structure Weaknesses  Highest overall cost  Smaller operational organization  Less extensive transportation management infrastructure Pricing  Estimated total two-year cost: $374,000 plus fuel and maintenance pass-throughs Page 7 of 13 Simple Price Comparison Proposer Model Total Price Key Cost Notes Lake Geneva Transit Co. / DTC Investor-owned trolley lease + DTC operations $161,740 to $191,740 estimated annual expense Includes $36,000 annual lease fee; offers potential fare revenue offset to City. GO Riteway City-owned trolley, contractor- operated $207,600 Lowest clear operating price; fuel excluded; City responsible for trolley maintenance/repairs. Dousman Transport City-owned trolley option $251,806 City provides trolley vehicles; DTC operates service; maintenance billed at $90/hour plus parts/materials. Lakefront Shuttle LLC City-owned trolley, contractor- operated $265,600 over two years $100/hour in 2027; 2028 rate subject to CPI or 3%; fuel, maintenance, and cleaning are pass- through costs. Dousman Transport Turnkey option $273,990 revised Amended proposal includes 2,672 service hours at $67.65/hour plus operating cost. Coach USA City-owned trolley, contractor- operated $339,400 Competitive and supported by substantial operational resources and regional transit infrastructure. Lakefront Shuttle LLC Contractor-owned turnkey model $374,000 over two years $184,500 in 2027 and $189,500 in 2028; includes vehicles, insurance, maintenance, storage, dispatch, and operations; fuel excluded. Page 8 of 13 Overall Price Comparison One year and two-year total Vendor Trolley 1-year cost Fuel Insurance Storage Depreciation 1-year cost CenDen (50% capacity) CenDen (25% capacity) Total 50% revenue Total 25% revenue GO Riteway City $103,800 $15,936 $1,200 $12,000 $8,000 $140,936 $193,200 $98,000 $52,264 ($42,936) Dousman City $125,903 $15,936 $1,200 $12,000 $8,000 $163,039 $193,200 $98,000 $30,161 ($65,039) Lakefront Shuttle City $132,800 $15,936 $1,200 $12,000 $8,000 $169,936 $193,200 $98,000 $23,264 ($71,936) Dousman Contractor $136,995 $15,936 $154,131 $193,200 $98,000 $39,069 ($56,131) Lake Geneva Transit DTC partnership $162,620 $15,936 $178,556 $193,200 $98,000 $14,644 ($80,556) Coach USA City $166,000 $15,936 $1,200 $12,000 $8,000 $203,136 $193,200 $98,000 ($9,936) ($105,136) Lakefront Shuttle Contractor $187,000 $15,936 $202,936 $193,200 $98,000 ($9,736) ($104,936) Lake Geneva Transit Investor Administered $191,740 $15,936 $207,676 $193,200 $98,000 ($14,476) ($109,676) Vendor Trolley 2-year cost Fuel Insurance Storage Depreciation 2-year cost CenDen (50% capacity) CenDen (25% capacity) Total 50% revenue Total 25% revenue GO Riteway City $207,600 $32,350 $2,400 $24,000 $16,000 $282,350 $386,400 $196,000 $104,050 ($86,350) Dousman City $251,806 $32,350 $2,400 $24,000 $16,000 $326,556 $386,400 $196,000 $59,844 ($130,556) Lakefront Shuttle City $265,600 $32,350 $2,400 $24,000 $16,000 $340,350 $386,400 $196,000 $46,050 ($144,350) Dousman Contractor $273,990 $32,350 $306,340 $386,400 $196,000 $80,060 ($110,340) Lake Geneva Transit DTC partnership $324,360 $32,350 $356,710 $386,400 $196,000 $29,690 ($160,710) Coach USA City $339,040 $32,350 $2,400 $24,000 $16,000 $413,790 $386,400 $196,000 ($27,390) ($217,790) Lakefront Shuttle Contractor $374,000 $32,350 $406,350 $386,400 $196,000 ($19,950) ($210,350) Lake Geneva Transit Investor Administered $385,240 $32,350 $417,590 $386,400 $196,000 ($31,190) ($221,590) Page 9 of 13 Lowest apparent cost: GO Riteway at $207,600, but this is a City-owned model and excludes fuel while leaving vehicle maintenance and repair responsibility with the City. It offers the strongest large-scale transportation credentials and the deepest staffing/dispatch infrastructure. Lowest City-owned trolley option after GO Riteway: Dousman’s City-owned trolley option at $251,806, with strong local presence, existing Lake Geneva familiarity, CDL drivers, dispatch, maintenance capacity, and transportation experience. Most complete private-risk model: Lakefront Shuttle’s contractor-owned turnkey proposal at $374,000 over two years transfers vehicle acquisition, ownership, maintenance, storage, insurance, and operational responsibility to the contractor. It is more expensive but reduces City risk and capital exposure. Most flexible/creative financing model: Lake Geneva Transit Co.’s investor-owned structure provides a lease-based model with DTC operations and potential revenue offsets through fares, specialty events, and parking coordination. It may reduce upfront capital needs but appears more complex and would require legal, insurance, and administrative review. Recommendation If the City’s priority is lowest operating cost, GO Riteway appears most favorable. If the priority is local familiarity and straightforward operations, Dousman and Lakefront Shuttle’s City-owned option are strong comparisons. If the priority is avoiding City ownership risk, Lakefront Shuttle’s contractor-owned turnkey model is the cleanest full-service structure. Dousman’s option is also very strong. If the priority is flexibility with revenue potential, the Lake Geneva Transit Co. investor model offers the most innovative approach but also the most moving parts. None of the options break even at 25 percent parking at Central Dennison. Of the City-owned options Go Riteway, Lakefront and Dousman break even at 50 percent revenue at Central Denison. Of the contractor-operated options DTC and Lake Geneva Transit’s models break even at 50 percent revenue at Central Denison. Final Weighted Ranking Rank Proposer Weighted Score 1 GO Riteway Transportation Group 9.13 / 10 2 Coach USA 9.0 /10 3 Dousman Transport – City-Owned 8.75 / 10 4 Dousman Transport – Turnkey 8.63 / 10 5 Lake Geneva Transit Co. / DTC & Investor Model 8.35 / 10 6 Lakefront Shuttle – City-Owned 7.88 / 10 7 Lakefront Shuttle – Contractor-Owned 7.70 / 10 Depreciation – City and DTC Comptroller Laura Pisarcik said the city uses straight line depreciation for vehicles  The purchase price is $100,000 and the trolleys are estimated to last another 10 years after the city ceases operating the trolleys. If each trolley depreciates at roughly $8,000 per year the value of the two is roughly $65,000-$70,000 when the city is done with ownership.  This is for the scenarios proposed by DTC, Lake Geneva Transit and Lakefront Shuttle in which the City owns the vehicles. Page 10 of 13 Fuel Fuel is market-driven, and a flat price is not included in any of the RFPs. Per City calculations fuel is estimated at cost $15,936 in 2027 and $16,414 in 2028. The cost is based on two trips per hour of eight miles in length. The average miles per gallon for the platforms proposed is between 7-8 miles per gallon. Using a flat rate of $6/gallon each trolley loop under the proposed route is $6 in fuel costs. The figure for 2028 factors a 3 percent increase for CPI or increased fuel costs. A sample route and stops are included. Trolley Route – Example  A proposed route, offered as an example, and map are included. Staff drove the route in a personal vehicle on April 7 and timed one loop at 23 minutes  Figure between 30 and 40 minutes for one loop Trolley Stop and Parking – Exit Town Bank parking lot and turn right on Center Street Town Bank lot is a stop – parking, pickup and drop-off Take Center Street to Dodge Street and turn right Take Dodge Street to Madison Street and turn left Central-Denison Elementary is a stop – parking, pickup and drop-off Take Madison Street to Geneva Street and turn left Take Geneva Street to Broad Street and turn right In front of the Geneva Theatre is a stop – pickup and drop-off Take Broad Street onto Wrigley Drive, follow Wrigley Drive to Baker Street and turn left The bottom of Broad as it becomes Wrigley is a stop – pickup and drop-off Take Baker Street onto Lakeshore Drive, follow Lakeshore Drive to Campbell Street and turn left Seminary Park is a potential stop – pickup and drop-off Take Campbell Street to Wells Street and turn left The Cove is a stop – parking, pickup and drop-off ALTERNATE: pull through Cover lot and take Wells Street to West Main Street and turn left Take West Main Street to Lakeshore Drive and turn left (Could pull through Cove Lot and avoid Intersection at Main) Take Wells Street to West Main Street and turn left Take West Main Street to Lakeshore Drive and turn left Take Lakeshore Drive to Campbell Street and turn left Take Campbell Street to Wells Street and turn right Take Wells Street to Bloomfield Road and turn left Circle through school complex and turn right on Bloomfield Road Lake Geneva Middle School is a stop – parking, pickup and drop-off Turn right on Bloomfield Road and turn left on Hwy 120 Take Hwy 120 to Townline Road and turn right Take Townline Road to Veterans Parkway and circle through lots Veterans Park is a stop – parking, pickup and drop-off Turn right out of Veterans Park onto Veterans Parkway Take Veterans Parkway to Park Drive and turn left Take Park Drive to Hwy 120/Edwards Blvd and turn right Take 120/Edwards Blvd to Sheridan Springs and follow road left City lot near Serv Pro is a stop – parking, pickup and drop-off Take Sheridan Springs to Interchange North and turn left on Interchange North Take Interchange North to Center Street and turn left Center Street to Town Bank Page 11 of 13 Map with route marked in black line – https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1y5IkZLYGDm-- HWW3XZm_QwU9d5djbOo&usp=sharing Page 12 of 13 Parking Revenue Central Denison Capacity Scenario Weekly Revenue Seasonal Revenue (14 weeks) 25% Capacity 7000 98000 50% Capacity 13800 193200 Central Denison & The Cove Capacity Scenario Weekly Revenue (City Share) Seasonal Revenue (14 weeks) 25% Capacity 8000 112000 50% Capacity 15700 219800 Central Denison & Town Bank Capacity Scenario Weekly Revenue (City Share) Seasonal Revenue (14 weeks) 25% Capacity 10800 151200 50% Capacity 21300 298200 Central Denison, The Cove & Town Bank Capacity Scenario Weekly Revenue (City Share) Seasonal Revenue (14 weeks) 25% Capacity 11800 165200 50% Capacity 23200 324800  There are 38 spots at The Cove, 138 at Central Denison and 150 at Town Bank. Revenue projections are provided for each lot at 50 and 25 percent capacity. There is a total of 326 spots.  Parking Manager Beth Gehris-Padro said each space is worth $200 per week.  The city shares revenue at 50 percent. The numbers do not include any projected revenue from the city charging for parking at either Lake Geneva Middle School or Veterans Park.  Paid parking is from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Sunday. Paid parking costs $2 per hour Monday through Thursday and $4 per hour Friday through Sunday.  The numbers provided are estimates based on projected lot use and should not be interpreted as guaranteed income.  The safest projection is to consider the numbers for Central Denison. The city maintains the most control over that lot, it is a new revenue stream and agreements are yet to be reached with the proprietors/owners of Town Bank and The Cove. Page 13 of 13