Calhoun County Supervisors have adjusted rental fees for the multi-purpose building in Pittsboro to one price across the board and increased usage fees for the horse arena.
The changes came at the conclusion of a presentation by Extension Service personnel Trent Barnett and Emily Rennie who said the facility generated $6,200 in rent for the building and $960 for the arena in 2015.
Barnett and Rennie requested a change in the policy to require rent money at the time of the reservation rather than just prior to the event because of a large number of cancellations they’ve experienced.
Barnett said the building is in such demand that it stays booked up for nearly a year in advance, particularly the weekends. He explained that many of those events get canceled, however, without any money ever being paid to the facility.
“We had 35 that canceled last year,” Rennie said. “That’s $3,500 we didn’t collect. Fourteen of those were events on Saturdays.”
Barnett and Rennie both explained that there were plenty of other potential renters for those canceled dates, but they don’t get word of the cancellation, if it all, until too late.
The board agreed to address that by requiring the $100 rental fee be paid up front at the time the reservation is placed. Then if the event is not canceled within an appropriate time the county keeps the money.
The board also changed the policy so that the $100 rental applies to everyone. Previously, school groups could rent the facility for only $25 and benefits were free. Now all will be responsible for the $100 rental.
Rent on the horse arena was increased from $50 to $100, with an additional $50 charge for use of the concession stand.
Barnett said they also have a lot of horse riders that come to the arena and just ride on their own at no cost. He suggested many come from several counties away to use the facility at no cost.
The board approved putting locks on the horse arena gates and charging $20 for someone wanting to come ride in the arena. That’s without using any electricity or other facilities.
The board also authorized Barnett to seek quotes to repair the bucking chutes in the arena and other maintenance needs around the property.
•In other news, the board hired Jan Mayhan as part time driver for the Lift bus.
•They approved for district three to advertise for a new truck.
•Brent Thompson and Willie Weddle, from U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly’s staff, informed the board that they have opened a new office in the old depot in Eupora.
Thompson said they are also working on opening an office in Oxford, and another is planned for the northeast corner somewhere around Corinth.
Weddle, who pastored Pittsboro Baptist Church in the 1960s, will work out of the new Eupora office.