IRON MOUNTAIN — Payment will be required up front to reserve Iron Mountain’s City Park pavilion under a policy the city council approved Monday.

The city previously allowed up to 10 days to pay, but people have taken prime dates and then not followed through, City Manager Jordan Stanchina said. This created conflict with others who may have wanted a particular date and would have paid, he said.

The city begins accepting reservations on the first business day of each year, allowing for pavilion use on a designated day in the same year. Current prices range from $100 for a city resident for most week days to $250 for a non-resident on a weekend day. A $75 deposit also is required.

The facility, which includes a kitchen, is available from mid-May through late September.

Meeting via Zoom, the council authorized Stanchina’s suggested policy change without objection.

Also for 2021, refunds will be given if the gathering can’t happen due to governmental law or order.

In other matters, the council:

— Discussed a committee’s review of options for adding an employee or two to the public works department. “We need to work something out somehow,” council member Ken Clawson said. Stanchina acknowledged the department has been staffed “about as lean as we could” in recent years but said more analysis is needed. One complication is the uncertainty of state shared revenues during the pandemic. Reducing City Hall staffing is among the potential strategies to help deliver funding, Stanchina said.

— Heard Mayor Dale Alessandrini report that Dickinson County continues to have about a 19% COVID-19 positive test rate, compared with about 12% in Michigan and 14% in Wisconsin. “People need to quit griping and just wear their masks and stay home,” he remarked.

— Noted the Iron Mountain Planning Commission will have a public hearing via Zoom at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 14, on the city’s updated Master Plan. Written comments will be accepted until 4 p.m. that day. A copy of the plan and details on the hearing are available at https://www.cityofironmountain.com/.

— Reappointed Sally Jacobs and Virginia Feleppa to three-year terms on the Iron Mountain Tree Board.

— Approved the purchase of turnout gear for two new part-time firefighters at cost of $5,289 from Allied Fire Sales & Service of Spring Lake.

— Learned that 20 deer have been harvested during the city’s managed archery hunt.

— Agreed to close City Hall on Thursday, Dec. 24. Although the building normally is open on Christmas Eve, it typically is quiet, Stanchina said. This will not be an additional day off, so employees will use vacation or personal leave or receive no pay.

— Observed a moment of silence for Pearl Harbor Day and in recognition of the victims of COVID-19. Council member Bill Revord added a request for a remembrance of Iron Mountain attorney David Celello, who Alessandrini said “will be deeply missed.”