Christian County sets fees, insurance and staffing rules for courthouse lawn events

The Christian County Commission voted Feb. 5 to finalize a special-event permit process for use of the county courthouse grounds, approving a $100 application fee, a requirement that applicants provide proof of insurance listing Christian County as additional insured, and a $50-per-hour charge for a county employee when an event uses county utilities.

County commissioners said the changes are meant to protect the county from liability and to create a predictable, uniform process for nonprofits, businesses and other groups that reserve the courthouse lawn.

Commissioners discussed four options earlier in the meeting, including keeping the existing rules, adding an addendum to allow use of utilities with a staffing charge, making use strictly first-come-first-served with no contract, or a revised contract that requires utility requests and staff coverage. "If you use the utilities, it has in here that you would have to pay for an employee to come in," Employee Services Director Amber told the commission. She described the staffing charge…