DuPage County staff present draft rental rules, alcohol policy for new shelter community room

DuPage County staff presented a draft ordinance to formalize fees and booking procedures for the new community room on the county animal shelter campus, including rules on catering and whether alcohol may be served, during an April 15 meeting.

The ordinance, drafted with input from the State's Attorney's Office, would create a standard contract for outside users that includes insurance requirements and a requirement that any alcohol be served by a third‑party server who is BASSET certified (Beverage Alcohol Sellers and Servers Education and Training). Staff said county employees would not be allowed to serve alcohol and that contracts will specify dram‑shop and other insurance required of event hosts.

Why it matters: The county is seeking to balance revenue and community use of the new facility with liability and animal‑welfare concerns. Allowing rentals and controlled catering could generate operating revenue but requires clear rules on permitting, insurance and who is permitted to serve alcohol.

Laura, an animal services staff member who presented the draft, said the county has received inquiries about private events such as birthday parties and meetings and wants a formal fee and booking structure. She told the group the draft ordinance will next go to the county’s Public Works committee and then the County Board for formal consideration.

Staff said the contract would capture details the ordinance text does not, including proof of insurance and the specific server or catering arrangement. Jason, a representative from the State's Attorney's Office, and Tim, a facilities staff member, were named in the discussion as participants in drafting and approving processes; staff said questionable requests would be escalated beyond the facilities unit to the chair or other officials.

On alcohol permissions, staff described two practical paths used in similar venues: (1) using an outside caterer or a licensed restaurant to supply bartenders and liquor under that vendor’s liquor license and insurance; and (2) requiring BASSET‑trained servers and dram‑shop insurance as conditions of the county contract. Staff cited a recent DuPage Historical Museum event that used bartenders supplied by Arrowhead (a Wheaton Park District restaurant) as an example of using a licensed third party.

The group also discussed municipal jurisdiction. Staff said portions of the shelter property have been subject to permitting authority discussions with nearby municipalities, including Wheaton and Winfield, and described the current status as a “hybrid” in which the county retains permitting control over its property while annexation or de‑annexation processes continue. Staff cautioned that some municipal rules could apply depending on final annexation outcomes and that they have consulted corporate counsel in Wheaton on liquor‑licensing implications.

Questions from board members focused on operational details: how noise from events would affect shelter animals, whether fees could be waived for rescue partners, whether the county could host its own functions free of charge, and how restroom access and capacity would be handled for larger events. Staff said the draft ordinance includes language allowing the county to waive or reduce fees if recorded appropriately in the county’s reservation system; that county‑hosted events would generally be handled through third‑party servers for alcohol; and that facilities staff would identify restroom access and, if necessary, require portable facilities for events that exceed available capacity.

Votes at a glance: The meeting opened with several procedural approvals taken by voice vote. The minutes for Feb. 2 were approved (voice vote; no roll‑call counts specified in the transcript). A motion identified in the record as “Grama, FIR 006945” was moved and seconded and carried. Two budget transfers listed as “25 10 24” and “25 10 22” were moved, seconded and carried by voice vote; specific roll‑call tallies were not provided in the transcript.

What happens next: Staff said they will finalize contract language (insurance, BASSET certification and server requirements) and forward the ordinance to Public Works and then the County Board for formal action. If the County Board approves, the county will publish fees, booking rules and insurance requirements for community‑room rentals.

Ending — less critical details: Board members also discussed existing partnerships (rescue organizations and the Wheaton Park District) and the practical experience the county has had permitting events at other campus locations. No formal changes to policy were adopted at this meeting; the item remains at the draft and referral stage.