Commissioners approve new rental policy and fees for county buildings and pavilions after long debate

After extended debate about accessibility and revenue, the Gadsden County commissioners adopted a revised rental policy for county facilities that sets tiered building fees and a separate pavilion fee for parks, while preserving administrative discretion for special events.

Staff framed the ordinance as a comprehensive rental policy that requires insurance, site plans for events over 75 people and 60-day lead times for special-event applications. The draft initially listed modest per-day fees in draft language; the board debated whether parks should be charged at all and whether buildings should have a higher fee. "I will be in support that we don't charge anything for a park because we wanna encourage people to be outside," one commissioner said during the discussion, while other commissioners argued for a modest pavilion reservation fee to preserve access and prevent informal long-term occupation. The interim county attorney and staff recommended a refundable staffing deposit and security fee tied to event size; the board adopted a motion that sets building full-day rental at $500 and half-day at $250, a pavilion reservation fee of $50 with a $100 security deposit for pavilion reservations, and a refundable staffing deposit and security fee structure for larger events.

The ordinance also requires the administrator to notify commissioners before any variance or administrative departure from the policy for a specific event. Commissioners said exemptions for senior organizations and other community groups can be handled through the application process and administrative discretion.