Board reviews new rental rates for Harwich Cultural Arts building; staff to refine schedule

Select Board members reviewed a new, structured rate schedule for the Harwich Cultural Arts building that would replace the current one‑hour pricing with tiered per‑hour and per‑occurrence rates for municipal use, Harwich‑based schools, nonprofits and for‑profit users.

Cara Winnie, the town’s director of cultural affairs, explained the proposal includes specific rates for the auditorium (rehearsals and recitals), a production‑support contract option (example: $300/hour), custodial and event‑staffing at $45/hour for after‑hours events, and a $75 per‑room per‑day fee for multi‑day rentals. She also proposed a Harwich‑based school rate for gym use given demand from Lighthouse Charter School and added nonprofit categories.

Board members praised the structure but asked for adjustments. Concerns included perceived low for‑profit gym rates, how to treat Harwich‑based schools vs. nonprofits for multi‑hour rentals, whether a non‑refundable deposit policy should be adopted to reduce last‑minute cancellations, and the maintenance standards required to put fields into a paid rental program. Staff agreed to revise the fee schedule and return with clarified policies on refunds, deposits, staffing costs, and field maintenance plans.

Cara emphasized that many events require setup and teardown outside ordinary business hours and that staffing and production support costs must be captured to avoid unpaid overtime. The board did not vote; staff said they will present a revised schedule at the next meeting.