If you haven’t already scheduled an event at the Douglas County 4-H Fairgrounds this year, expect to be paying higher rental fees.

The Douglas County Commission recently approved fee increases, saying they wanted rental fees to recover 50 percent of the county’s fairgrounds operating costs in five years.

In general, rates for buildings used for most exhibits, such as Buildings 1, 2 and 21, have been doubled for weekday rentals of six-hour blocks. Renting half of Building 21 went from $40 to $80. Renting Buildings 1 and 2 went from $20 to $40. Weekday rentals would not change through 2009.

The new rate schedule, however, sets weekend rates by the hour in 2007. The county generally had been charging a flat fee of $40 for a six-hour block on Saturdays. Weekend rates for the south half of Building 21 would be $20 per hour in 2007 and would become $35 in 2009.

Renters also will be expected to make deposits.

Larger rentals, such as renting the entire fairgrounds for a day, will be $1,200 in 2007. It will be $1,250 in 2009.