Banquet Hall & Meeting Rooms Rental Rules 

February 2005  

1. Reservations for the facilities will be made through the City Offices in accordance with the Rental Fees Schedule.  A pre-reservation meeting is required for first-time renters to cover facility rules, fire and life safety measures, and any special needs for the event.
2. Reservations will be given on first come, first serve basis.  Reservations will be held only after a down payment of $100 is paid for the banquet hall.  For meeting rooms, payment in full will be required to hold the reservation.  The amount of the down payment will be applied to the total fee amount owed by the renter.  Fees and deposits must be paid by separate checks to allow the deposit to be easily refunded.  The down payment and any other fees or deposits will be refunded if a cancellation is made at least 30 days prior to the reservation date.  Cancellation within 30 days prior to the reservation date will cause forfeiture of the $100 down payment.  Reservation for any facility may not be made sooner than 1 year prior to the scheduled date of the event.
3. One key set will be issued to the party making reservations one day prior to the event, following payment of all remaining deposits and fees and signing of the rental agreement.  The keys to the facility must be returned no later than the next business day. Keys may be returned in person or via the night box. 
4. General Rules:
   1. Red punch, purple grape juice, or similar dark staining juices are NOT permitted.
   2. No cooking is allowed in the meeting rooms. Grease cooking such as fish fries and other greasy or odor-producing cooking must be done outside or cooked offsite.
   3. No tape, sticky substances, pins, or other affixations are permitted for usage on walls. Other decorations are available through vendors in Hawarden.
   4. No sitting or standing on tables or standing on chairs.
   5. State Fire Regulations prohibit the blocking of any exit.
   6. Candles are strongly discouraged for safety reasons.  If candles are used, plastic runners or tables must be used to protect the carpet.
   7. No items, including tables and chairs, may be removed from the building.
   8. The users of the facility will be restricted to only the use of those facilities rented and associated amenities.
   9. Children must be supervised at all times.
   10. The setup of the portable bar, any beverage table, and any buffet serving line in the banquet hall must be on the tiled area provided.
   11. A cart is available for moving items into the building.  Please avoid dragging items on the floor. 
   12. We reserve the right to charge a fee for the removal of any helium balloons in the main banquet hall.
   13. Auctions or rummage sales are allowed, except with the specific approval of  City Staff.
5. Rental of the banquet hall will generally be from 11:00am until 2:00am the following morning, unless specific approval is received from City Staff.    Additional setup or cleaning time for the banquet hall is available for a fee of $50 per day, paid at the time of down payment. 
6. Rental of the meeting rooms will generally be from 8:00am until 11:00pm.
7. Security is the responsibility of the renter. The City is not responsible for stolen, lost, or damaged personal items. Stolen, damaged, or improperly cleaned City property is the responsibility of the renter including, but not limited to the renter's guests, caterer, DJ/band, etc.
8. Violation of any of the following provisions or any ordinance or law will cause the termination of the event, loss of deposit, and renter will be banned from renting the facility in the future.
   1. The use of any tobacco products (including cigarettes and chew) is prohibited inside the Community Center building.  Smoking is allowed only near the cigarette receptacles located at the Southeast entrance to the Community Center.
   2. No excessive noise or loud and raucous activities (public nudity) are permitted. Renter will be responsible for adherence to the City's noise ordinance.
   3. No alcohol consumption/alcoholic beverages are permitted other than in conjunction with the temporary transfer of a private Beer/Liquor License, receiving prior approval by the City Council. This will include underage drinking with otherwise proper permitted events.
9. Cleanup of the banquet hall must be completed by 10:00 am the day following the end of the event.  All facilities will be cleaned and items that are used must be returned to their proper location, all in accordance with applicable checklists.  City Staff reserves the right to charge renter for any required cleaning not performed by renter.  These fees will be charged according to the attached schedule and will be deducted from renter’s deposit.  Renter has the option to pay a $150 fee for the banquet hall and a $20 fee for a meeting room to avoid any cleaning duties.  These optional cleaning fees must be arranged for and paid in advance.
10. Renter is responsible for all violations of the above rules by any contractor used for the event, including but not limited to caterers, DJ’s, bartenders, and photographers.

RENTAL FEES AND DAMAGES SCHEDULE (February, 2005) 

Rental fees & deposits are charged at the rate determined by the following schedule:

Damage to City property will be charged to renter at the cost of materials and labor plus 10% to correct the damage and/or cleaning.  Cleaning charges will be assessed at a rate of $20 per person per hour.  Damage and cleaning charges will be deducted from the deposit.  Charges above the amount of the deposit will be billed directly to the renter.