Historic Poor Farm staff unveil rental rules, fees and partner priorities; supervisors ask for operating‑cost breakdown

Johnson County staff outlined a new event‑rental system for the Historic Poor Farm, proposing a fee schedule, insurance and alcohol triggers, booking procedures and a priority system for on‑site partners.

Ilsa DeWald, Johnson County local food and farm manager, and Julie Watkins, event and program assistant, told the board that staff built a rental agreement and workflows after reviewing comparable municipal and conservation rental practices and piloting co‑hosted events on site. The county will use Brightly for online booking and to manage invoices; credit card and invoicing details were reviewed with the treasurer and IT staff.

Key policy points: staff propose that the county adopt a tiered hourly fee schedule that differentiates weekday/weekend, nonprofit/government versus private/for‑profit rates, and small versus large events (large defined as 100 people and over). Nonprofit rates would be set at 50% of for‑profit rates; large events would carry a roughly 25% surcharge in the proposed structure. Deposits would generally be 25% of the total rental charge; wedding‑style rentals were modeled at a higher level in market research.

Insurance and alcohol: the staff package draws a clear line on liquor licensing and insurance triggers. The presence of alcohol alone does not always trigger a liquor license, Watkins said; a license is required when alcohol is sold or when an admission fee is charged and alcohol is freely provided. Hard liquor would be prohibited at the site as an extra risk control; beer and wine could be allowed under the insurance and licensing conditions laid out in the proposed agreement. The rental agreement includes a separate insurance and alcohol attachment that is only completed when a proposed rental meets the large‑event or alcohol triggers.

Spaces and partners: rentable spaces listed in the packet will include the livestock barn and patio, the cultivation station classroom, the Healing Trail amphitheater, the central lawn and (when the kitchen becomes available) the kitchen. On‑site partners (examples listed: Johnson County Historical Society, Grower support organizations and advisory committees) with long‑term mission alignment would be allowed mission‑aligned programming without routine space charges under an annual use agreement; partners would still book in Brightly and follow cleaning and safety procedures.

Weddings and limits: staff recommended piloting weddings with limits in year one: a maximum of six weddings annually and no more than two per month; staff proposed a two‑day full weekend rental model for weddings (about 17 hours) with an illustrative starting price point cited in the staff briefing (about $2,550 for a full‑weekend wedding in that example). Watkins will require renters to specify setup and cleanup time; minimum billing is hourly.

Operational questions and board direction: supervisors asked staff to produce operating‑cost data, including staff time, utilities and facility maintenance, so the board can compare revenue projections to operating costs. Supervisors also asked for clearer site maps to show rentable areas and parking. Staff said they will finalize the rental guide, cleaning procedures and fee chart and return for formal adoption; supervisors indicated they are comfortable piloting the program and reviewing results after year one.

Ending: Staff will finalize and circulate the rental guide, cleaning procedures and fee schedule, post rentable spaces in Brightly and begin bookings once the board signs off in the formal packet. Supervisors asked staff to deliver an operating cost breakdown (staff salary allocation, utilities and maintenance) before full program roll‑out.