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Solvang to review fees at Vets Hall

By Dave Bemis/Managing Editor/dbemis@syvnews.com

After years of making decisions informally, the staff of the Solvang Parks and Recreation Department wants a clear policy for deciding who gets to use the city’s Veterans Memorial Building for free.

Parks and Rec Director Fred Lageman told the City Council this week that many of the “free” users have been highly responsible groups for years, but others have begun to take advantage of the policy by expecting the city to do more than is promised, failing to clean up or breaking other rules.

In addition, he said, the city is losing an increasing amount of potential revenue as more and more groups ask to use the building for free.

“To be frank,” Lageman told the council, “word has gotten out that we allow free use to certain groups and we have other groups call and play the ‘free card,’” pressuring the department personnel to allow them to use the building for free as well.

Because the building is a veterans memorial, under the terms of its construction the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars are guaranteed free, first-priority use. However, the city has the power to set rates and rules for all other groups.

In the past 12 months, Lageman said, the city has allowed free use of the building 88 times. If all those groups had been charged the city’s nonprofit rate, the city would have recouped $9,705, and at the out-of-area or commercial rate, $41,210.

The council directed Lageman, the police department and other staff members to bring back a draft policy for council consideration.

“You know what the problems are; you know what the rules need to be,” said Councilman Ken Palmer.

“I think we all need to read these documents and make sure they say what we want them to say,” said Councilwoman Joannie Jamieson.

“I love that building and I want to be sure it’s used properly,” she added, and “not by outside groups unless they pay the commercial rate.”

“The fact that we lose $50,000 a year, plus or minus, is atrocious,” and everyone but the smallest groups should at least pay a refundable damage deposit, she added.

While the formal policy has not been established, the council did not object to some rough outlines presented Monday night. Those included:

n Events sponsored or co-sponsored by the city will not be charged for use of the building, nor will Santa Barbara County meetings that are for the benefit of Valley citizens.

n All users should submit a written application, for record-keeping purposes, and agree to follow all written rules.

n All large groups should pay a refundable cleaning and damage deposit, regardless of whether they pay rent.

n The city will continue its tiered rate structure that charges the lowest fees to local nonprofit and government groups, a higher fee to family and other local events, and the highest rates to commercial and out-of-area groups.

For example, renting the large hall of the Veterans Memorial Building for three hours ranges from $50 at the local nonprofit rate to $115 (family and other local events) to $170 for out-of-area and commercial groups. For all those groups, the rental deposit would be $450.

The City Council’s next regular meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, July 6, in the Council Chambers at 1644 Oak St. in Solvang. Agenda materials can be viewed no later than Friday, July 3, at City Hall or at www.cityofsolvang.com.