As Jerome Township officials plan to add two new buildings near the existing Township Hall, they are adjusting rental rates for the current facility.
While the township previously offered discounted rates for residents, all renters will now pay the same flat rate for use of the Township Hall, depending on the day.
Trustees approved a rate of $200 to rent the hall on Mondays-Thursdays and $350 on Fridays-Sundays or holidays.
Prior to the changes, residents and township businesses paid $75 for weekday rentals while non-residents and businesses outside of Jerome paid $150.
Residents paid $150 for weekend and holiday rentals while those living outside of the township paid $250. Rentals for businesses were at the same rates.
Township Administrator Brandon Standley first proposed a rate change during the trustees’ Feb. 6 meeting.
At the time, he said Jerome’s facility rates were significantly lower than those in surrounding areas.
“We don’t break even,” Standley said, noting that the rates sometimes did not cover the overtime pay for staff members associated with building rentals.
He also said he felt the differentiation between resident and non-resident fees should be eliminated, as many renters outside of the township book the hall through a contact in Jerome “to achieve the lower rate.”
The trustees were in favor of the increases, but Trustee Wezlynn Davis asked the township to consider creating a clause that would allow officials to waive rental fees under certain circumstances.
For instance, Davis said she feels young people working with charitable groups or on volunteering projects should be able to use the Township Hall without a cost associated.
In response, Standley said a provision was added to the rental agreement detailing a process through which individuals can request a waiver of the fee.
He said requests must be submitted in writing, at least 21 days prior to the rental date desired.
Standley said a provision was also added to prohibit subletting of the Township Hall.
In early February, he noted that he heard from officials in surrounding areas who encountered instances in which people were booking multiple rental dates and essentially re-booking them to others at a higher price.
He said the new provision should prevent that from happening in Jerome.
The trustees are also making progress toward plans to build a new community center/activities building, although a Roads Department/Service building will likely come to fruition first.
Standley said the township received two quotes from Pebble Construction, one for the design of each building.
Without optional additions, the design for the Roads Department building will cost $52,000 while the activities building would total $57,500.
“To design a building?” Trustee Joe Craft asked.
Standley specified that Pebble Construction will partner with Guider Winkle Partners for surveying and site engineering services and with Jack D. Walters and Associates for architectural and building engineering services.
Aside from a retainer, the quotes include the following work: a topographic and boundary survey, a preliminary site design, a preliminary floor plan and elevation, site engineering, a stormwater pollution prevention plan, full construction architectural documents and permitting.
Standley explained that staff hopes to move forward with the Roads Department building as soon as possible, but there is not a funding stream in place for the activities building.
Fiscal Officer Robert Caldwell added that funds are budgeted for the Roads Department building.
While officials originally toyed with the idea of using federal COVID funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) for the activities building, the funding was allocated toward the purchase of an aerial ladder truck for the Jerome Township Division of Fire.
Caldwell said the cost of constructing a new activities center “far exceeds” the approximately $525,000 in ARPA funding that went toward the purchase of the ladder truck.
Davis recommended tabling design work for the activities center until a long-term financial plan is in place.
At the recommendation of Trustee Barry Adler, Standley said he will research potential grants that could fund the activities building to determine whether applications require design work to be completed prior.
The trustees voted unanimously to approve the design work for the Roads Department building and table it for the activities center.