Ranlo staff proposes policy to offer reduced facility rental rates to nonprofits

Town staff presented a draft policy on April 11 to let the Ranlo Board of Commissioners consider reduced rental rates for nonprofit organizations that use the town’s lodge and community-building facilities.

The draft outlines two options: a simple, stand‑alone application route or a fuller board‑adopted policy. Staff said eligible organizations would generally need to be registered nonprofits (501(c)(3)), demonstrate alignment with town goals and show local impact. "Each application for reduced race will be diligently assessed by the Randlow board of commissioners taking into account the context of the request, its urgency, and its relevance to town interests," staff said during the presentation.

Under the proposed process, board members would vote first on whether an applicant qualifies for a reduced rate; if that vote passes, the board would then decide the amount of the discount. Staff emphasized the draft deliberately avoids prescribing a single fixed discount, giving the board the flexibility to set a rate case‑by‑case or choose a uniform percentage if it prefers.

The draft also includes conflict‑of‑interest safeguards: council members must disclose employment or financial ties to applicants and recuse themselves from votes when appropriate. The policy would permit staff to request additional information or bring applicants back for clarification before the board votes.

Staff framed the proposal as a tool to support organizations that serve local residents while preserving the board’s authority to evaluate applications individually. The board did not take a final vote on the policy at the meeting; staff said any adoption, modification or a request for a fixed discount would be a future board decision.