Edmond Town Hall Is Still A Bargain After First Rate Increases Since 2001

By John Voket

There’s probably no one who would argue that the price of almost everything has gone up since 2001. But patrons who have used the many meeting rooms, auditoriums, the gymnasium and related services at Edmond Town Hall have been paying the same rates for more than four years.

That fact, according to Town Hall trustee Jay Thomas Gill, has contributed to a situation where rising prices of utilities and especially heating fuel have overtaken the modest profit margins put in place by the Board of Town Hall Managers back in 2001.

“The average (monthly winter) fuel bill here for oil has been $6,000,” he told fellow trustees at the most recent Board of Managers meeting. “It’s nice to be nice but we have to pay our bills. In some cases, when you consider heating, electricity, setup and breakdown costs, we are at the point where (certain events) are costing us money.”

During past managers’ meetings, town hall staffers have also detailed a range of issues that have contributed to increased maintenance and personnel time following rental events at the multipurpose facility on Main Street. Following one recent spate of winter weather, it took custodial workers hours to remove several commercial vacuum cleaner canisters full of sand tracked in from the parking area.

Workers have also found themselves scooping up and mopping up after pet owners who are attending dog obedience classes in the building, as well as scraping smeared frosting from the wooden gym floor after recreational sessions turned into impromptu birthday parties.

“We don’t want to keep people away, but we have to at least break even on each rental, trustee Sandra Motyka said.

The good news for future and regular rental customers, however, may lie in research Ms Motyka performed prior to the group discussing rental increases. She learned in a canvass of other regional catering, conference, and meeting facilities, that even new proposed rates for the Edmond Town Hall facilities were quite a bargain.

“I went calling around for competitive rates and we weren’t even on the radar screen as far as some of the other facilities were concerned,” Ms Motyka told fellow trustees.

Ms Motyka also advised facility managers to begin tracking the amount of traffic generated by for-profit users of the facility to determine whether or not future increases may be based on the level of usage and not just on a flat rate scale for all customers.

“Some of these groups come and go and you would never know they were here. But I understand cleanup after some of these things, especially the birthday parties, can get real bad,” observed board chair Edgar Beers.

One staff member in attendance at the meeting pointed out that price increases would be more justified in the coming months, once the new elevator project and related improvements were completed. Following some further discussion the board unanimously approved suggested rate increases that go into effect July 1, 2005.

The New Rates

The Alexandria Room, a 35-by-45-foot auditorium on the second floor with limited kitchen/service facilities and a stage would cost $30 per hour for meetings. A flat fee of $600 for weddings in the room includes setup, china, and utensils.

Parties in the Alexandria Room will now cost $300 for private clients and $200 for nonprofit organizations. Limited kitchen facilities, beverage glasses, china, and utensils can be added for an optional $70 per event.

Recitals in the Alexandria Room will cost $200, with a $75 charge for additional rehearsal time. A $100 damage deposit is required for all activities.

Rates for the ground floor gymnasium exclusively for recreational or children’s birthday parties increased from $25 to $30 per hour. Birthday, graduation or other parties for anyone except small children’s events, where any type of food or food service, entertainment, or dancing is available will cost a flat fee of $200 with a four-hour limit.

Any other full-day activity up to eight hours will be $400 for private/for-profit clients and $300 for qualified nonprofit organizations. Private wedding receptions in the gymnasium will remain fixed at the current rate of $500.

Private/public rentals of the main theater featuring combined seating for up to 561 persons and use of the 32-by-18.5-foot stage, $1,000 for weeknights (Sunday to Thursday), $1,200 for weekend evenings (Friday and Saturday) and $500 for half-day daytime meetings or corporate use. Nonprofit organizations may qualify for further discounts and should inquire on a per-use basis.

Mr Beers suggested the facility remain available for governmental, civic, and certain community meetings at no charge to the town. Town Hall office manager Marci Decker said additional savings can be achieved by organizations and clients booking rooms in advance for ongoing regular use.

“Our office also can help clients find affordable services like caterers, linens, music, and other entertainment,” she said. “We’ve even got someone who will bring in small zoo animals for children’s birthday parties and things like that.”

Ms Decker also suggested parents looking for an affordable birthday party option should consider renting a small party room for pizza and cake service for an hour and then bringing children down to the main theater for a movie screening.

“As long as the film is appropriate, you can get a one-hour, 20-person party room to have pizza and cake for just $30 and then bring them in for the movie at just $2 per child,” Ms Decker said. “You can easily budget the party and entertainment cost in at around $100 or $125.”

Regular customers of the Edmond Town Hall facilities include local political town committees, the Newtown Christian Fellowship, the Newtown Friends of Music, a local Weight Watchers group, the Rocking Roosters square dance club, and a private dog obedience school.