Council seeks Centenary Community Center rental policy after weekend cleanup complaints

A Marion County council member urged the council to adopt a rental agreement and enforcement policy for the Centenary Community Center after an incident in which one group’s event left the building in a condition requiring cleanup by the next-day users.

The council member said the center has been reserved repeatedly through the end of the year and that, because there is currently no fee or binding rental agreement, groups can reserve space without financial consequence if they cancel or fail to clean up. “We have to address this situation because it's a health issue,” the council member said, citing concerns about bathrooms and kitchens being left unclean.

County staff said they have been drafting rental-language with the county attorney and operations director and that a common start date discussed had been the beginning of the calendar year in January. Staff added the council could elect to implement the policy earlier if members want to do so.

Staff noted the county has used the City of Marion’s rental agreement as a template and that many local facilities require liability insurance. One council member mentioned a comparable facility charging about $150 per day as a local reference point.

What was directed: Council asked staff to finalize rental-language and implement operational checks (including operations staff checking restrooms and kitchens after weekend events). Staff said they will provide proposed agreement language and indicated they can implement earlier than January if council directs.

Ending: Council members emphasized the need to capture rental revenue and prevent repeated cleanup and health problems caused by unregulated back-to-back reservations.