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Seward County commissioners table Grace Place fee-waiver request until fees clarified
Summary
Grace Place requested a full waiver of Ag Building fees for its Sept. 16 fundraising event; commissioners voted to table the request so staff and the group can clarify which charges would be waived.
Seward County commissioners voted to table a request from Grace Place seeking a waiver of facility fees for its annual fundraising event scheduled for Sept. 16, saying the nonprofit and county staff need to clarify which rental and ancillary charges would be included.
Grace Place Director Letty Hernandez asked the commission for a waiver for the Ag Building rental and related charges for the Sept. 16 event, which she said “will be free to the public.” The nonprofit said United Way would be a collaborating host this year and that previous events drew several hundred attendees.
Commissioners and staff spent more than 20 minutes discussing which line items are covered by a “facility fee waiver.” County staff told the commission the cover sheet for the agenda item lists current rates that include building rental, booking fees, deposits, kitchen and stage rental, cleaning and damage reimbursement, electrician charges and other setup fees. Staff said past waivers for the same event had covered only the basic rental fee, not all ancillary charges. Commissioners expressed uncertainty whether the county intended to waive only a base rental or all associated costs.
Commissioner Abbott moved to table the request so Grace Place can review the county’s fee schedule and indicate precisely which fees it seeks to have waived; Commissioner Stanton seconded. The motion to table passed by show of hands.
The commission did not adopt a fee waiver at the meeting and directed staff to work with Grace Place to return with a clarified application detailing which specific fees the nonprofit seeks to have waived.
Clarifying details noted at the meeting include that organizations granted waivers traditionally must sign the facility contract, provide liability insurance and remain responsible for any cleaning or damage fees assessed after an event. Staff said the county’s updated fee schedule is the basis for calculating any waiver and that past waiver forms sometimes listed only the building rental and omitted other charges.
The commission did not set a deadline for Grace Place to return with a revised application.
