Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services personnel no longer will have to handle the scheduling of community meeting rooms in firehouses. The county Board of Commissioners recently voted to transfer that responsibility to the parks department.
The Cherokee Recreation & Parks Agency “is better positioned to coordinate the scheduling and rental of these rooms since they perform this function regularly for the Recreation Center, Union Hill Community Center and multiple pavilions in county parks,” staff said in a report to the commissioners.
The rooms, used by groups like small churches, are offered at Fire Stations No. 4 (Free Home), 12 (Waleska), 19 (Acworth/Oak Grove), 21 (Cherokee County Airport), 22 (Bridgemill) and 23 (Hickory Flat).
Commissioners also approved new rental rates. Where rooms had been $25 per day for nonprofits, up to $175 per day for parties and free to county employees, they will now be $25 per hour with a 50 percent discount to nonprofits and 25 percent discount to county employees. The refundable security deposit increases from $75 to $150.
Previously booked rentals will pay the old rates. County functions will not be charged.
The parks agency also is looking into locating recreation programs in these rooms, “thereby taking programming into these communities rather than relying only on the indoor spaces at the Recreation Center,” staff said.
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