The Brundidge City Council voted 4-2, at its Tuesday meeting, in favor of changes to the rental policy for Brundidge Station, a city owned multi-purpose facility in downtown Brundidge.

The council had voted on September 6, 2016 on changes to the policy to be effective January 1, 2017. However, Council Member Betty Baxter, District 1 said Tuesday the increased rental and deposit fees would prevent some residents from being able to rent the building and the city would lose money that it would have received.

The proposed changes to the Brundidge Station Rental Policy that were voted into effect Tuesday night were:

·      Increase the rental fee from $100 a day with a $50 refundable deposit to $200 a day with a $100 refundable deposit.

·      Lessee must have the building cleaned (if marked on the application they will clean) and out of the building by 2 a.m.

·      No concession sales or admission charges, to include pre-sold tickets, are allowed to be collected on the premises of Brundidge Station at any time.

·      Cannot attach anything to walls or ceiling.

·      Capacity limits of 152 people.

Council Members Baxter, Arthur Lee Griffin, District 2, and Byron Gaynor, District 4, voted in favor of the Brundidge Station rental Policy. Mayor Isabell Boyd also voted yes.

      Opposing council members were Margaret Ross, District 3; and Chris Foster, District 5.

Ross said her opposition to the rental policy was the 2 a.m. curfew.

“Brundidge Station is not a facility for parties that begin at 10 p.m. and last until 2 a.m.” Ross said. “That’s like a night club, not a place for community social events.”

The council voted to adopt the City of Brundidge budget for the fiscal period beginning October 1, 2016 and ending on September 30, 2017. The total funds budgeted are $11,881,517.

Prior to the council’s regular meeting, the council held a public hearing to consider Willie Moultry’s request for property at 413 S.A. Graham Blvd, from Reserved Residential (RR) to Community Commercial (B-2) and Jimmy Ramage’s request for property at 416 S.A. Graham Blvd from General Industrial (M-1) to Highway Commercial (B-3).

The council denied the request for the RR property to be rezone to B-2, citing the city’s Planning Commission’s denial of the request as reason.

The council voted in favor of the request to rezone the M-1 property to B-3.