The Stanley Common Council met Monday, April 6 in city hall, approving an agreement with amendment related to the Stanley Community Center.
The agreement establishes a tiered system of payment for the center, which has been a money loser for the city. The aim of the new tiered system is not to make money but rather to stop losing it on the center.
With several non-profit groups using the Community Center free of charge, there were 49 unpaid uses last year. Losses have totaled approximately $8,000 in the past year, $7,000 the year prior, and several thousand dollars annually before that. It was noted that nearly 49 unpaid nonprofit uses of the building in a single year contributed significantly to the deficit, prompting a need to restructure how the space is rented. The goal of the agreement is not to generate profit, but to create a system that allows the city to recover operating and maintenance costs while still keeping the facility accessible to community organizations.
Under the existing structure, standard public rental rates remain unchanged at $1,000 for the full building and $500 for half, each requiring a $400 refundable deposit. The new agreement introduces a tiered pricing system specifically for nonprofit organizations. Tier one is designed for occasional users, covering one to four events per year at a reduced rate of $500 per event for the full building or $250 for half. These users are not required to commit annually but must submit an application for each event and provide proof of insurance.
For organizations that use the facility more frequently, tier two offers a discounted annual rate of $1,800 for five to nine event days per year. This significantly lowers the per-event cost but requires groups to commit to the tier at the beginning of the year. If they exceed nine uses, additional dates revert to the tier one pricing structure. Tier three is intended for high-use groups, allowing 10 to 13 event days annually for $2,500, bringing the cost per use down even further. Like tier two, it requires an annual agreement, and any usage beyond the allotted number of days is charged at the tier one rate.
All tiers require organizations to carry insurance and submit a calendar of proposed use dates for city approval to prevent scheduling conflicts. Agreements are structured on a year-by-year basis rather than multi-year commitments, giving both the city and organizations flexibility to adjust as needed. The council also discussed maintaining some flexibility for community-benefit events such as blood drives, which could be brought forward for fee waivers on a case-by-case basis. Additionally, there was consideration of allowing nonprofit groups to share or transfer reserved days among themselves, provided usage is tracked appropriately.
Overall, the agreement represents an effort to strike a balance between fiscal responsibility and community access. While it may increase costs for some groups, the city emphasized that the intent is to ensure the community center remains sustainable and available for long-term use rather than continuing to operate at a loss.
The Community Center agreement was approved later in council following committee of the whole discussion with the amendment that agreements with nonprofits be transferable to other non-profits.
The new tiered structure will now be sent to non-profits for their review and further discussion with the city.