Specifications include, but are not limited to: (a) Open and close Sycamore Island during daylight hours for public use seasonally ten months of each year, seven days a week, including State holidays. Traditionally, the site has been open February through October. On occasion the park has also been open during November and December. The minimum hours of operation are 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; however, additional early morning and late evening hours are highly desirable. In 2012, the site was also open on Mondays. Schedules may be periodically adjusted by mutual written agreement based on experience, and alternative schedules may be proposed.; (b) Collect per-vehicle and per-boat user fees for management services. As a guideline, in 2007, the Conservancy governing board approved an amount not to exceed $15 total combined per vehicle and per boat trailer fees.; (c) Provide drinking water for sale at cost. The for-profit sale of other prepackaged non-alcoholic beverages and foods, and items that enhance the visitors’ comfort, safety, enjoyment, and experience is optional.; (d) Provide all visitors with a copy of the rules for public use of Sycamore Island. The receipt shall stipulate that, in using the property, the visitor releases the State and the operator from liability.; (e) Provide for routine and satisfactory cleaning of the self-contained vault toilet restrooms and provide for periodic vault waste removal (once per year is usually adequate). Contractor shall provide and properly maintain portable toilets at several disbursed locations on the site.; (f) Provide waste containers throughout Sycamore Island and the Van Buren Unit and provide for weekly waste removal and proper disposal. After each weekend of use, all containers with wastes at the site must be closed with well-fitting lids, or wastes shall be removed to one or more bins with a closed lid. To the extent possible, provide and maintain recycling containers for beverage bottles and cans at key locations on Sycamore Island. To the extent possible, remove litter throughout Sycamore Island and Van Buren Unit no less often than weekly.; (g) Oversee visitor activities during hours of public use and communicate to visitors when they are observed in violation of public use rules. Provide at least one roving staff member who will communicate with visitors to reinforce positive behaviors to protect the environment and public health and safety. Inform the Conservancy and law enforcement agencies of any significant incidents of illegal activities or on-going public nuisances on the site.; (h) Clear visitors from Sycamore Island at the close of each operational day. Utilize an amplified megaphone or alternative method to communicate to visitors throughout the site. If visitors’ vehicles are on Sycamore Island one-half hour after closing, post a notice on the offending vehicles and vacate and lock the site. Contract with a private security service to unlock gates for visitors at the visitors’ cost, and post information about the service.; (i) Provide radio and/or wireless phone equipment adequate to ensure employee-toemployee on-site communications and off-site communications to enforcement and emergency response agencies.; (j) Contractor shall provide adequate and fully trained staff at the Premises during its operation and shall ensure that competent substitutes are available on-call as necessary to maintain adequate staffing levels in the event of unscheduled absences. At a minimum, under routine and normal circumstances, two employees must be present on the Premises seven days a week, including State holidays. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to require the Contractor to have more than two employees on the site at one time. Contractor shall provide training for those to be employed on the Premises, covering subjects that include but are not limited to water and boating safety, emergency communications, Parkway public information, fishing regulations, and standard operating procedures. At least one on-site employee shall be Red Cross certified (or equivalent) in basic first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Basic first aid kits shall be maintained on the site.
