McMinnville waives facility fees for Child Advocacy Center gala and Chamber banquet

McMinnville’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted to waive city facility fees for two nonprofit events, approving a Child Advocacy Center request to use the recreation center and Court Square grassy lot for April events and granting a fee waiver to the McMinnville/Warren County Chamber of Commerce for its annual banquet.

Cassell, speaking for the Child Advocacy Center during the agenda item, said April is Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month and described the center’s programs and services. “Our gala helps fund the programs that we have and services that are free to every child that comes into our center,” Cassell said, asking the board to donate use of the Miller/Milner Recreation Center on April 18 and allow a Field of Flags and pinwheel garden on Court Square from April 3 to April 19.

Cassell provided program activity numbers the center used to justify the request, stating last fiscal year the center performed 164 forensic interviews, provided 2,421 family-advocacy services and 494 trauma-informed counseling sessions. Cassell also referenced statewide reporting data from the Kids Count data center and cited a figure of 66,497 child-abuse reports in Tennessee for 2023 and 710 reports in Van Buren County as context for the Center’s work.

Board members moved and seconded the request for waivers for the gala and public display; the mayor called the question and the motion passed. Later the board separately approved a standard fee waiver for the Chamber’s annual banquet at the city event center. The board’s action was presented as routine support for nonprofit community events; staff confirmed standard documentation and scheduling coordination will follow.

The board did not set conditions beyond standard facility-use requirements. The Child Advocacy Center and Chamber will work with city staff on specific logistics and insurance or setup details before their events.