ROTHBURY — The Rothbury village council increased the rental rate for the Rothbury Community Center at its regular monthly meeting Tuesday night.
After treasurer Deb Murphy stated it had been at least four years since the community center's rates had increased, the council voted 5-0 (trustees Autum Drake and Jim Fekken were absent) to bump the rates from $650 per event to $800 per event. The $200 security deposit remains the same. The rate to rent the members-only room also increased slightly, from $75 to $100 per event, with a $50 deposit remaining the same. The community center is a significant revenue generator, and Murphy said rentals account for about $15,000 in annual revenue. Clerk Brandy Williams, who also works at the Double JJ Ranch, said similar-sized rooms there cost significantly more to rent than the community center does.
The council also voted 5-0 to accept a letter from the state department of natural resources outlining some future steps regarding the recent grant the village received. The grant will provide funds to support improvements at Czarny Park. The DNR will issue a contract agreement for the grant sometime this summer, with vendor selection scheduled to take place next January and construction to begin in May 2026.
The council approved Murphy adding a separate line to the current fiscal year's budget to account for $1,500 that the state has sent to the village. The funds are an advance as part of a state Continuing Professional Education initiative that provides in-service training for police officers, and the budget addendum will make it easier for the village to keep track of the money so it is used as intended.
Trustee Mike Harris delivered a planning commission report, saying a certified letter has been sent to the Greenlawn mobile home park regarding it being zoning violations it's committed. The letter has not been returned and it's not been confirmed the letter was received despite it being sent over a week prior to the meeting. The council discussed the possibility it would need legal representation to take any further steps regarding the mobile home park.
The council also discussed the possibility of hiring former village clerk Carol Witzke as deputy clerk on an as-needed basis in case Williams is unavailable. Witzke indicated her willingness and interest in helping out under those circumstances. There was some discussion on whether such a move was necessary, and no action was taken on the matter.
