Conservancy Deal For Ozaukee County Golf Course Vanishes

The Ozaukee Washington County Land Trust (OWLT) thought it was closing in on a plan to acquire the Squires Country Club, a 142-acre golf course on Lake Michigan in the Town of Belgium - - only to learn that a development group had swooped in with a higher and accepted offer of $2.6 million that keeps the property a golf course.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that the deal came together quickly after "a casual conservation" between Ozaukee County Board Chairman Bob Brooks and Harm Modder, a development partner.

The Squires Country Club is owned by Bruce and Bonnie Bloemer.

The paper said this about the sale, which took place as the Land Trust was awaiting a counter-offer from Bruce Bloemer to its offer of something more than $2 million.

"Brooks, himself a real estate investor, said it [the property] was [on the market] and set up a Jan. 5 meeting between Modder and Bloemer, who negotiated the deal and signed an agreement on Friday, the three men said Monday.

"Brooks drew up the paperwork but was not involved in the price negotiations. He is not taking a commission on the deal, they said."

So the golf course remains a golf course and the Ozaukee County Board will not further pursue grant funding that was crucial to the conservancy plan.