As plans were being formed for Jemison’s Municipal Complex, Mayor Eddie Reed had to be convinced an auditorium would benefit the city.

Reed has since seen the light.

“That has been one of the best things we could have done,” Reed said at Monday’s city council meeting.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Jemison had received more than $11,000 in revenue from people renting the auditorium, including deposits that have already been paid to reserve a date in the future.

The auditorium features seating for several hundred people, depending on the arrangement; a stage; a sound system; and two drop-down projection video screens.

Karen McMinn is handling reservations for the auditorium. She can be reached at 688-4492 ext. 319 (office) or 287-1260 (cell).

An updated application will be uploaded to the city’s website, www.jemisonalabama.org, in the coming days, McMinn said. Those interested in making a reservation can print the application, fill it out and send it to McMinn or take it by her office at the complex.

“There were some things that needed to be added, like we don’t rent the room to people that are going to charge admission at the door—without prior approval of the council and mayor,” McMinn said. “We’re going to let non-profits do that, of course, we just don’t want anyone running a business out of there.”

The auditorium hosted its first event, in late April, before the complex was officially open. McMinn now has reservations as far out as December 2011.

Most of the events held at the auditorium are banquets, wedding receptions, birthday parties and church events.

The building has provided an unexpected benefit to the city by being the site of police training courses.

The city might pay several hundred dollars for one officer to attend training in Montgomery, for example, but hosting the training allows all Jemison officers to attend, at a reduced cost to the city.

“That has gone over really, really well,” McMinn said. “Officers that have been to the training here have nothing but positive things to say.”

The auditorium floor was finished in October, along with the bathrooms.
“The room looks beautiful now,” McMinn said.