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Service committee moves toward liability and fee changes for hall rentals
Summary
Service committee chair Mr. Gustel said the committee favors an assumption-of-liability and indemnification clause when alcohol is served, will still require proof of insurance from third-party vendors, and proposed changing the fee structure to a $200 deposit and a $200–$250 flat rental fee with possible fee waivers for funeral-related rentals.
The St. Bernard service committee reported progress Sept. 11 on revising hall-rental contracts to address liability, fees and staffing. Service chair Mr. Gustel said the committee debated whether to keep a requirement that renters obtain liability insurance within a 30-day notice period or instead adopt an assumption-of-liability and indemnification clause when alcohol is present. The committee reached a general consensus to move toward the assumption-of-liability approach while still requiring proof of insurance from third-party vendors providing alcohol.
Mr. Gustel said the committee reviewed a cost-analysis spreadsheet prepared by interim safety service director Tim Williams and proposed adjusting the fee structure from a $200 deposit and $125-per-hour rate to a simpler $200 deposit and a flat fee of $200 to $250. Special consideration was discussed for funeral-related rentals, including a possible waiver of the rental fee while retaining the deposit requirement. The committee also flagged concerns about renters' ability to obtain liability insurance on short notice, additional costs for renters, the practicality of requiring on-site staff during events, and post-event cleanup responsibilities.
Next steps include preparing a revised policy draft that incorporates the liability and fee changes and coordinating with incoming safety service director Mark Wendling to finalize the policy before scheduling a follow-up committee meeting.
