SOUTHPORT PARK ASSOCIATION
Kenosha's Southport Beach House: Our Lakefront Legacy
SOUTHPORT PARK ASSOCIATION
EIN: 47-2216847
Mission
Our mission is to work with the City of Kenosha Department of Public Works, Parks Division, and the Historic Planning Commission as a U.S. non-profit organization, in order to promote the restoration, preservation, beautification, and utilization of lakefront parks and structures beginning with Southport Beach House & Park; to raise awareness of the historic, cultural, and educational significance of these community resources. Goals 1. Share information and engage stakeholders and the public in the restoration and preservation process 2. Identify and acquire funding sources 3. Contribute to sustainability and economic development Southport Beach House is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.
Ruling year
2015
President
Susan Andrea-Schlenker
Main address
4623 75th Street #4 Box # 249
Kenosha, WI 53142 USA
EIN
47-2216847
Community improvement
Population served
Children and youth
Adults
NTEE code
Community, Neighborhood Development, Improvement (S20)
IRS subsection
501(c)(3) Public Charity
IRS filing requirement
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The Southport Park Association of Kenosha was founded by community volunteers in 2014. We are a 501 (3)(c) not for profit corporation working in partnership with the City of Kenosha to ensure enduring stewardship of Kenosha’s historic structures and coastal public spaces for future generations. Mission The Southport Park Association seeks to ensure enduring stewardship of Kenosha’s coastal parks and historic structures for future generations in partnership with the City of Kenosha and stakeholders throughout southeast Wisconsin. The Southport Park Association envisions a lakefront park system that extends throughout the City of Kenosha and links to the Chiwaukee Pairie State Natural Area to the south. Our efforts in the Southport Park are intended to extend and enhance community engagement within and throughout Kenosha County’s Lake Michigan public shoreline spaces.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Memorandum of Understanding w/City of Kenosha
In June 2017, The City of Kenosha and Southport Park Association entered into a memorandum of understanding. The Southport Park Association (SPA) will assist the City of Kenosha and the HPC in its work with the Southport Park and the historic Southport Beach House (SBH) through a public not-for profit 501(c) (3) corporation, for the benefit of the people of Kenosha.
2. The primary purpose of the SPA will be to work with the City of Kenosha Department of Public Works, Parks Division, and the HPC as a U.S. non-profit organization, in order to promote the restoration, preservation, beautification, and utilization of lakefront parksand structures including Southport Park and the SBH and to raise awareness of the historic, cultural, and educational significance of these community resources.
3. The SPA will provide private fundraising initiatives in concert with and under the guidance of the City of Kenosha Department of Public Works, and the HPC within mutually agreed upon plans and objectives; that will contribute toward a sustainable program for the preservation and enjoyment of the Southport Park and the SBH.
4. The City of Kenosha shall, within the limits of the law and subject to practical constraints, provide support to the SPA in its work within the historic Southport Park and the SBH.
5. In conjunction with the City of Kenosha and it's HPC, the SPA will recommend and implement programs, events and projects it considers appropriate for the Park's long-term development and maintenance, in coordination with the City of Kenosha Parks Division and the HPC.
6. The SPA will support improvements to the Parks programs and infrastructure, and will promote further outside investment toward the restoration of the SBH, which is listed by National Parks Service National Trust for Historic Preservation, and will serve as a conduit for other outside funding intended for the support of the Southport Park and the historic SBH.
7. With the approval of the City of Kenosha, the SPA will secure funding for select projects, programs, and improvements deemed appropriate by the City of Kenosha Parks Division and within statutory or administrative guidelines of the HPC. City shall have permission to decline funding improvements and projects it, in its sole discretion, deems unworkable.
Kenosha's Southport Beach House: Our Lakefront Legacy
Our Story
In May of 2012, the fate of the historic Southport Beach was uncertain. The building, a state and national registered landmark, suffered damage from a freak storm the previous summer that devastated the entire coastline of Kenosha. The microburst felled 70 trees in Southport Park Alone, and 700 trees across Kenosha primarily on the coast. It did some damage to the slate roof on the east side of the beach house that required temporary repair before the winter. After a lengthy city-wide clean up the question before the mayor was whether the historic building should be torn down, partially restored, or fully restored.
A study of the building was prepared by a prominent Milwaukee architectural firm and presented to the Parks Commission in May of 2012. A group of then unincorporated community activists urged citizens, who overwhelmingly supported renovations, to make their voices heard in the city hall and city council. Through petitions, informal surveys, numerous council meetings, and social media, we persevered. As a result of citizen efforts and the actions of city aldermen, a Master Plan for all of Southport Park’s 29 acres was then created. It was determined that a complete and total restoration would cost approximately $3 million dollars, but work could be spread out over 10 years while increasing usage to help pay for renovations. Then Mayor Keith Bosman appointed 8 citizens to the The Southport Park Commission to look at how the city could increase usage of the beach house, and the commission presented their findings to the Parks Commission seven months later. In November of 2014, the Southport Park Association (SPA) was created by community volunteers who applied for 501(c)3 status.
Our current mayor, John Antaramian, has provided funding for the deferred maintenance of the exterior of this historic structure. The city budget for 2018 has $1 million dedicated over 5 years for the restoration of the exterior of the building. In June 2017, a partnership between the that City of Kenosha and Southport Park Association was created so that SPA could secure financial support to supplement additional $2 million needed to fully restore the beach house. This memorandum of understanding (MOU) was necessary as Southport Beach House and Park are owned by the City of Kenosha while Southport Park Association is a private nonprofit organization. Our mission is to work with the City of Kenosha Department of Public Works, Parks Division, and the Historic Planning Commission as a U.S. non-profit organization, in order to promote the restoration, preservation, beautification, and utilization of lakefront parks and structures beginning with Southport Beach House and Park and to raise awareness of the historic, cultural, and educational significance of these community resources.
Southport Beach House is part of our heritage. Imagine its beautification with new windows, doors, lighting and the potential to be used for new purposes while retaining its historic features. You can support Southport Park Association by sharing your voice, your time, your talents and contributions to ensure our unique historic structure is preserved and enjoyed by future generations. Your contribution will help solidify our communities past and strengthen our future. Preservation will help create a vibrant, cultural coastal destination that will draw tourism, festivals, and other activities which in turn draw investment, revenue, and economic growth.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
Fund For Lake Michigan 2022
External reviews
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Vision
The Southport Park Association envisions a lakefront park system that extends throughout the City of Kenosha and links to the Chiwaukee Pairie State Natural Area to the south. Our efforts in the Southport Park are intended to extend and enhance community engagement within and throughout Kenosha County’s Lake Michigan public shoreline spaces.
Goals
1. Preserve, restore and enhance historic and environmental coastal assets
2. Contribute to sustainability and economic development
3. Identify and acquire funding sources
4. Share information and engage stakeholders and the public in the restoration and preservation process
5. Continue environmental educational programs within the park
The 2013 Master Plan for Southport Park included recommendations for the rehabilitation of the Southport Beach House, a historic landmark in the City of Kenosha which is listed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. With the support of the Southport Park Association, a phased plan for exterior rehabilitation was proposed by Mayor Antaramian and adopted by the Common Council in the fall of 2018.
Phases 1-3 were completed by 2021 and phase 4 is currently underway. The Southport Park Association is working with the City of Kenosha to develop plans for ongoing uses of the Beach House upon completion of the exterior improvements. Our Utilization and Design Recommendations include interior layout and design upgrades intended to expand public programming and access on a continuous basis.
Due to ongoing renovations, the Southport Beach House will not be available for rentals through 2023.
In 2013, the City of Kenosha Common Council adopted the Southport Park Master Plan (SPMP) which recommended the creation of a private sector partner to assist the City with development and implementation of the plan’s envisioned goals.
The Southport Park Association (SPA) was established by community volunteers in 2014 in response to that recommendation, as a 501© (3) non-profit corporation. The Board of Directors (BOD) organized Bylaws, Policies and Procedures for 501 © (3) compliance, and a committee structure for accomplishing the goals set forth in the SPMP.
In keeping with the vision and goals set forth in the SPMP, the SPA Board of Directors (BOD) formulated an initial Strategic Plan for implementation of improvements to the Southport Beach House and the Southport Park. The BOD identified challenges and opportunities which would be significant factors in realizing the envisioned goals of the SPMP and adopted an initial Strategic Plan.
In 2017 the BOD entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the City of Kenosha in order to establish an effective partnership for design, planning, and budgeting of public improvements to the Southport Park and Beach House.
In 2021 the Southport Park Association was awarded a grant from the Fund For Lake Michigan for detailed project planning of phase 4.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
SPA 2020-2023 Objectives
Southport Park Beach House and Park Landscape
• Work with City of Kenosha to develop requests for proposals for implementation of an
operating plan based on public/private partnerships as proposed in the 2017 Utilization
and Design Recommendations report.
• Review the current MOU with the Administration to determine if revisions or updates are
warranted at this time.
• Begin discussions relative to overall planning for Southport Park, including landscape,
activities, and hardscape upgrades with City Administration and members of the
Common Council.
• Discuss fundraising objectives for SPA toward improvements to the Beach House and the
Southport Park with City Staff and elected officials.
Fund Development
The SPA comprehensive fundraising plan for 2022-2023 includes the following goals:
• Establish specific fundraising goals and objectives
• Create organizational structures and an internal grant-writing team
• Develop communications tools for outreach to potential partners and cultivate expanding
donor participation
• Create a donor prospect plan to identify potential financial partnerships, including
individuals, businesses, and foundations
• Expand our base of organizational, institutional, and citizen support to leverage our fundraising efforts.
Public Relations
• Continue efforts to raise awareness of SPA’s mission by utilizing social media and local
media outlets like the Kenosha News
• Create a SPA public relations and marketing calendar for social medial posts, newsletters
and fundraising campaigns
• Update our marketing tools such as Facebook page, newsletter, and event
advertising.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Our ability to form strong partnerships and collaborative efforts help us to meet our goals.
In 2011, after major storm damage to the roofing and other structural elements of the Southport Beach House, the City of
Kenosha began a public hearing process to ascertain the community’s vision for the future of Southport Park and the historic
beach house in order to guide design, planning, and investment in the park. In 2013 the Common Council amended the
Kenosha Comprehensive Plan, adopting a Master Plan for Southport Park.
The Southport Park Master Plan (SPMP) envisions improvements to the historic beach house and park landscape. It calls for a public-private partnership between the City of Kenosha and the citizens of Kenosha, working jointly to realize this vision. Over the past decade local historic preservationists have worked with the City of Kenosha , encouraging repairs to the damaged exterior surfaces, installation of historically appropriate replacement windows, remediation of structural damage; as well as upgrades to the slate roofing.
The Southport Park Association was established in 2014 , as a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, in order to formally engage local citizens and to develop private support for improvements throughout the park.
The City of Kenosha and the Southport Park Association entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in 2017, formalizing the public-private partnership envisioned in the Master Plan.
SPA's Organizational Strengths
• Positive community relationships with citizenry, notably the adjacent Southport
neighborhood, other non-profit organizations and across units of government.
• Positive relationships with the City of Kenosha, including the Administration, Common
Council, Department Heads, and City Staff.
• Recent community successes with historic preservation projects in downtown Kenosha
and Simmon’s Island Park have bolstered the credibility and value of continuing
expansion of local preservation efforts. Over the past 5 years there has been a significant
increase in private sector investment in the rehabilitation of older structures in Kenosha’s
historic downtown, and growing support from the business community in general.
*Connecting our city government with grant funders.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
SPA BOD entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the City of Kenosha in order to establish an effective partnership for design, planning, and budgeting of public improvements and private contributions to the revitalization of the Southport Park and historic Southport Beach House.
In keeping with the vision and goals set forth in the SPMP, the Association Board of Directors (BOD) formulated an initial strategic plan for implementation of the improvements to the Southport Beach House and the Southport Park. In 2017 the Association identified challenges and opportunities that would be significant factors in realizing the envisioned goals of the SPMP and adopted an initial strategic plan to that end.
Phases 1-3 were completed by 2021 and phase 4 is currently underway. The Southport Park Association is working with the City of Kenosha to develop plans for ongoing uses of the Beach House upon completion of the exterior improvements. Our Utilization and Design Recommendations include interior layout and design upgrades intended to expand public programming and access on a continuous basis.
SPA has held a number of events over the past several years, focused on raising
community awareness of the progress that is underway at the park. We have organized
public informational meetings with the neighborhood adjacent to the park, as well as
environmental stewardship and historic preservation educational programs with children
from the Kenosha Unified School District, in partnership with the WATERshed program.
We have also held spring and fall flower sales, as well as onsite fundraising events at
the Southport Beach House. Yoga and Friends partnered with the Southport Park
Association to offer weekly sunrise and sunset yoga classes in the historic beach house.
Over the past 3 summers, we have teamed up with the Kenosha Harbor Market and the
Bradford High School football team in the operation of a free Bike Valet service for
visitors to Kenosha’s lakefront.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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Who are the people you serve with your mission?
The general public visiting Southport Park and the surrounding community.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
Financial documents
Download audited financialsRevenue vs. expenses: breakdown
SOUTHPORT PARK ASSOCIATION
Revenue & expensesFiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31
SOURCE: IRS Form 990
SOUTHPORT PARK ASSOCIATION
Balance sheetFiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31
SOURCE: IRS Form 990
The balance sheet gives a snapshot of the financial health of an organization at a particular point in time. An organization's total assets should generally exceed its total liabilities, or it cannot survive long, but the types of assets and liabilities must also be considered. For instance, an organization's current assets (cash, receivables, securities, etc.) should be sufficient to cover its current liabilities (payables, deferred revenue, current year loan, and note payments). Otherwise, the organization may face solvency problems. On the other hand, an organization whose cash and equivalents greatly exceed its current liabilities might not be putting its money to best use.
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Documents
President
Susan Andrea-Schlenker
I grew up in a large family in the Allendale neighborhood of Kenosha.
I’ve worked as a playground director for the Kenosha Parks Department during my summer breaks from college. I spent my junior year abroad, attending Loyola of Rome and travelling throughout Europe which developed my love and appreciation of art, history, and architecture.
With a love of nature and an appreciation for historic preservation, I started to volunteer at Hawthorn Hollow Nature Sanctuary and Arboretum and currently serve on Hawthorn Hollow's Hyslop Board of Directors since 2001.
Over the l8 years since my return to the Midwest, I’ve seen many changes and improvements to my hometown and am very encouraged and inspired by the City of Kenosha's efforts to revitalize the lakefront. I support the city's efforts thru my work with the Southport Park Association and in partnership and in collaboration with the people of Kenosha.
SOUTHPORT PARK ASSOCIATION
Officers, directors, trustees, and key employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
There are no highest paid employees recorded for this organization.
SOUTHPORT PARK ASSOCIATION
Board of directorsas of 11/28/2022
Board of directors data
Susan Andrea-Schlenker
Southport Park Association
Term: 2015 - 2022
Mike Foster
Southport Park Association
Lydia Spottswood
Leslie McPeek
Dan Hitzeman
Jean Bourque
Anne Hambrock
Jan Sinclair
Sheri Infante
Shannon Bourque
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Not applicable -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Not applicable -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Not applicable -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
No data
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 02/24/2022GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
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