Putnam County commissioners hope lower rental costs, longer hours, and clearer rules will bring people back to the community building at Jimmy Davis Park (JDP), near downtown Eatonton.
The Board of Commissioners approved a new rental framework for the county-owned facility Sept. 15 after hearing the building has been rented only once over the past year.
District 2 Commissioner Richard Garrett, whose district includes JDP, brought the proposal to the board. He said the county invested significantly in revitalizing the park about three years ago, but use of the building has dropped sharply.
“We have a beautifully maintained, nice-looking park,” Garrett said, “but ... no one is utilizing the building.”
The discussion began with public comments via telephone from Putnam County native Ravin Mosley, who grew up near the park and said Jimmy Davis was her great-uncle. Mosley, now an attorney living in Nashville, said she recently considered renting the facility for a baby shower but found the terms too restrictive.
She questioned both the cost and the 8 a.m.-7 p.m. rental period, claiming the hours make it difficult to accommodate setup, an afternoon or evening event, and cleanup. Mosley suggested extending the hours until 10 p.m. to make the building practical for more gatherings.
Garrett raised similar concerns about the rental price last year.
Commissioners subsequently reduced the fee by $100 to $400, but the building attracted just one rental over the next 12 months.
Under the framework approved Sept. 15, the base fee has been cut in half to $200, while the previous $100 staff charge will be replaced by a $20-per-hour fee.
A refundable deposit remains in place.
Rental hours will expand to 8 a.m.-10 p.m., accommodating both morning and evening events. The changes are intended to encourage family and community gatherings including birthday parties, showers, reunions, breakfasts, luncheons and receptions.
The framework also calls for clearer restrictions on prohibited activities and circumstances under which renters could lose their deposits. Renters and county staff would conduct walkthroughs before and after events to document the building’s condition, while cameras and staff on site would provide additional safeguards.
District 4 Commissioner Jeff Wooten made the motion to approve the framework, saying the county can make the facility more accessible while still protecting it.
“We’ve come a long way with this community center,” Wooten said. “It can be utilized in so many different ways.”
District 1 Commissioner Tom McElhenney agreed the current approach was not working.
“It was … obviously underutilized, so we need to do something different,” McElhenney said. He cautioned, however, that users have a responsibility to care for the facility, which the county renovated in 2024.
District 3 Commissioner Steve Hersey supported the changes but questioned whether someone renting for four hours should pay the same $200 base fee as someone using the building for much longer. He also sought assurances that the framework would include the proposed walkthroughs and prohibited activities.
County Manager Byron Lombard said staff will turn the framework into a clearer public-facing, facility- use policy with a new rental form.
County Chairman Bill Sharp questioned whether the county has enough personnel to cover potential rentals from 8 a.m.-10 p.m., seven days a week.
Lombard said coverage could include employees beyond the two primarily assigned to the facility, including other recreation or county personnel.
Garrett said staffing arrangements could be adjusted later if increased demand creates scheduling problems.
The motion passed unanimously, with staff now charged with formalizing the new JDP rental policy.
Garrett said the objective is to turn an underused county asset back into an active community gathering place.
“There’s no point having this beautiful facility if no one can use it,” he said.