West Point votes to reduce rental fees at activity center, Depot
Published 6:35 pm Tuesday, September 10, 2019
The West Point City Council voted Monday night to reduce the rental fees at the Virginia Cook Activity Center and the Depot by 20 percent.
At the council’s work session on Aug. 8, Councilwoman Gloria Marshall proposed that the city consider lowering the rates to attract more usage, and City Manager Ed Moon presented three different options on Monday night.
Moon gave the council the option of lowering the weekend rates at both centers by 20 percent, lowering the rates by 20 percent at all times, and lowering the rate by 20 percent only for West Point residents.
Councilwoman Deedee Williams made a motion for a 20 percent reduction for all rates, and the motion immediately passed unanimously.
With the price reduction, renting the Depot on Friday, Saturday or Sunday will now cost $808. The previous cost was $1,010.
There was little discussion Monday night, but at the August work session, Mayor Steve Tramell said that he thought getting the price under $1,000 would increase usage.
According to the city’s financial statement, the Depot is budgeted to bring in $20,000 this fiscal year and has brought in $11,615. The Virginia Cook building was budgeted for $4,000 and has generated $3,400.
With the reduced prices, a two-day rental of the Depot will now cost $1,120 as opposed to $1,400. Full Day ($352), non-profit full day ($312), lunch meeting ($176), non-profit lunch meeting ($176), weeknights ($256) and nonprofit weeknight ($256) rates were also reduced at the Depot.
The cost for a Friday, Saturday or Sunday from 8 a.m. to midnight at the Virginia Cook Activity Center was reduced from $500 to $400. The cost for 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekend rental was changed to $200 and a two-day rental fee is now $600.
During the week, a full day of eight hours is now $160 and a weekday baby shower, wedding shower or dinner is now $100. Several prices at the Virginia Cook Activity Center stayed the same, as Moon noted that he thought they were already reasonable.
Those costs included the weekend birthday under 12, which stayed at $75, a weekend baby shower, wedding shower or dinner, which stayed at $125, a weekday lunch, which stayed at $100, a weekday birthday party under 12, which stayed at $50, and a weeknight rental, which stayed at $100.
In other action on Monday, the council also voted to approve the city’s reduced millage rate, which went from 9.257 to 9.18.