Roebling Park on North Rebecca Street, between Main and Water streets in Saxonburg, features three acres of grass and woods, with a gazebo-style bandstand that is the site of many events.

SAXONBURG — While borough council has denied a reduction in the Cooper Hall rental fee to at least one nonprofit group, it approved a reduction for two local groups on Wednesday.

The council heard secretary Jody Vettori report that the Butler County Association of Township Officials normally uses Cooper Hall in Roebling Park for free or at a nominal cost in exchange for free participation in its meeting by borough staff.

Vettori said the council needed to decide what, if anything, the association would be charged to hold its Tuesday, Oct. 12, meeting at the venue.

She said seven borough staff members are planning to attend the event.

“We are not in the position to give anything for free,” said Aaron Piper, council president. “We have to cover our costs.”

The council in recent times has laid out funds for security cameras due to vandalism, a dehumidification system to prevent mold, and other issues.

Piper said because the borough partners with the association, he proposed a fee of $200 for their event.

“It seems to me to be a win-win,” he said.

According to the online pricing sheet, the normal cost for a Tuesday event would be $330.75 for four hours and an additional $84 per hour for time used past that limit.

Councilwoman Mia Matta-Petruzzi said because the association is charging $10 per participant and plans to host 100 people, they would be able to afford the fee.

Piper said the South Butler Community Library also requested a reduced rate for its Sunday, Oct. 2 fundraising event.

He said the borough’s donation to the library is on the low side and the library has funding challenges.

Piper also called the library a partner to the borough.

He also proposed a $200 fee for the library’s fundraiser at Cooper Hall.

The Cooper Hall pricing sheet lists $661.50 for six hours and almost $166 per hour for additional time used on Sundays.

Matta-Petruzzi agreed with Piper’s proposal.

“Anything we can do to support the library, we should definitely do,” she said.

The council voted 6-1 in favor of charging the two entities $200 for their rentals of Cooper Hall. Carol Neubert was the dissenting vote.

Jackie Hutz of Penn Township, who created Team Fishguy Transplant Foundation to raise money for organ transplant patients, rented Cooper Hall on a Saturday in 2019 for $200 to hold her foundation’s Night at the Races fundraiser.

Last year, she was shocked to discover the price had risen to more than $1,575 and an additional $400 to set up on Friday night.

The online pricing sheet now lists the Saturday charge as $1,675 for a 10-hour rental and $220.50 per hour for additional time.

Hutz asked the council to reduce the rate, but was turned down.

She said she paid about $2,000 to rent Cooper Hall for her fundraiser in November 2021.

“I would rather have given that money to a transplant patient and their family,” Hutz said this week. “It would have covered 20 nights in a hotel during a transplant.”

The online Cooper Hall rental calendar shows a booking on one day in May, three bookings in June, one in July, and two in August.