DAPHNE, Ala.—Procedures ordinances were repealed to clear up misunderstandings regarding waiving fees for the Daphne Civic Center, city leaders said at their regular meeting.

According to Councilman John Lake, changes made to the ordinances were not extensive, but they were necessary to bring rental fees and procedure for waiving fees up to date.

“I just want to point out to everybody that the amount of wording that has been changed could probably fit into a half a paragraph,” Lake said. “It is not a lot of changes; it is just kind of brushing up and clearing up some of the language from previous ordinances. We usually do it every few years —  change the fees and stuff. Basically, it has gone through committee.”

Councilman Bailey Yelding questioned a previous procedure for waiving fees because the waivers are usually handled by the recreation board, but approval for a Martin Luther King Celebration Committee event went before the whole council.

“I have a question why one waiver had to go to committee and the other waiver had to go to the full council. I question that. The Martin Luther King thing came before the full council for approval. Why did the waiver for the football banquet not come before council?” Yelding said.

Mayor Fred Small said the event in question received a waiver of rental fees, but not all fees. According to Small, in the past two years, all fees have not been waived for any event at the civic center, including events for non-profit organizations.

The organization hosting the event for Martin Luther King day appealed the committee’s decision and requested the council to make the decision whether all fees should be waived.

The ordinances passed govern the fees and procedure for the civic center and Bayfront Park pavilion.

When the city’s council or committees waive the fees for a non-profit organization, all fees are not waived. The fees relating to operating costs — including cleaning, security and labor for set-up — will still be charged to the lessee, but the fees can be waived at the council’s discretion.