Olivia council adopts updated fine-and-fee schedule and tightens community center rental rules

The Olivia City Council on a voice vote approved Ordinance No. 6 to update the city's fine-and-fee schedule and adopted related administrative steps to publish a short title and summary. The ordinance corrects a typographical error in the Appendix A water hookup fee, clarifies that variance applicants will not be held responsible for city legal fees if the city initiates a related municipal code amendment within 120 days of a variance application, and adds a vehicle classification for pickup trucks.

A staff presenter described two new Corneland USA rental fees added to the schedule: a $50 party-space rental rate during public hours (nonmember children still pay entry fees) and a $100 private four-hour rental for up to 25 people outside public hours. The council also approved updated community center rules that apply to Corneland USA spaces: no food or beverages in Corneland rooms, a 25-person maximum for parties in Corneland spaces, a list of prohibited decorations (including confetti, glitter, rice, silly string, dry ice, pif1atas, candles and smoke machines), a requirement that private reservations occur only when the building is closed to the public (no keys issued for reservations), at least one adult present in each Corneland room when children are present, and a prohibition on alcohol for Corneland events.

On the fee correction, staff said the mistake was a formatting error and credited Dave Urban with catching the carried-over number in Appendix A. The city also approved Resolution 35 to authorize publication of a short title and summary for the ordinance so only the adjustments need to be printed publicly.

Council members asked about rental revenue and whether the new fees were appropriately set. Staff offered to provide a usage-and-revenue report at the council's April meeting and noted the city is collaborating with the University of Minnesota through a Rural Sustainable Development Partnership grant to complete a feasibility study; staff expects the university team to deliver findings and recommendations in late spring or early summer.

The council approved the ordinance and the related procedural resolution by voice vote; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the meeting transcript. The updated rental agreement form will be presented as a fillable PDF listing specific spaces (Corneland USA, gym, kitchen, ping-pong room) and will include the updated fees, overstay charges, security deposit terms and a user waiver.

What happens next: staff will prepare the revenue/usage report for April and the University of Minnesota feasibility study is expected to present recommendations later in the spring.