ROBERTSDALE, Ala. — Meeting a few days early early because the mayor and members of the City Council would be away, the Robertsdale City Council met Thursday, May 15. City councilor Brent Kendrick was absent from the meeting.

The council heard from Sarah Duncan, the facility director of the PZK Hall, which is located on Highway 104, regarding an increase of fees and costs to rent the 1920s vintage facility. The fees to use the facility will increase for Robertsdale residents $100, from $200 to $300 per day Monday through Thursday and $400 per day on the weekends. Nonresidents will pay $500 Friday through Sunday. A damage deposit of $250 will be collected when the key is picked up for the event. If the key is not returned, or the hall is not left in good condition, the deposit will be forfeited.

The facility is popular, Duncan said in a phone interview after the meeting because of “…the uniqueness of the building. It has one of the largest wooden dance floors anywhere in the county. That draws a lot of people to it.”

Duncan stressed in a phone interview that regularly scheduled events would not be affected by the change.

However, Duncan told the council, fees for the use of the facility had not bee “raised for a while.”

“People are not adhering to the contract,” said Duncan. “There have been times when it has taken two people working two days to get that floor back in shape.”

Another reason for asking for a damage deposit is to help keep the use of the facility under control, Duncan said in a phone interview.

“We need to know who and how many people are coming,” said Duncan, adding that there has been a line for organizers to state the maximum number of people attending the event on the application.

“If we are told 80 people are coming and 300 show up, it’s going to take longer to clean,” aid Duncan. New language in the rental contract makes it clear that the party must be out of the hall by midnight.

One of the biggest problems, said Mayor Charles H. Murphy during the council meeting, is that “not a lot of people are bringing the keys back.” He added that he hoped that the new policy would reduce the need for more keys.

The increase passed unanimously.

The council also increased fees to use the Senior Citizen’s Center on East Chicago Street.

— The council also approved sending bills amounting to $49,980.83 to the state. The city has been improving the sewer system with funds from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.

— Approved the annual Municipal Water Pollution Prevention report to the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. Scott Gilbert, director of the department of public works told the council that the city had only the “normal out of complacence” issues, but was working hard to come into compliance, and this was a routine report.

— Cynthia Nall, director of the Robertsdale Public Library, requested a transfer of $4,000 from the salary account to purchase children’s “easy books” and audio books. The library also needs to purchase books for a new teen area.

— The city will hold its Memorial Day service on May 26 at 9 a.m. in Memorial Park, and the public is invited. In the event of inclement weather, ceremonies will be held at City Hall.