[HISTORY: Included as revised by the Town Council of the Town of
Mansfield November 1992. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
The Mansfield Town Council recognizes that Town buildings and grounds
are a valuable public resource. The Council is committed to taking these facilities
available for appropriate use under proper supervision, either without cost
or at as low a cost as is consistent with prudent expenditure of public funds.
A.Â
All requests for use of buildings, grounds and equipment
shall be approved or disapproved by:
B.Â
Requests must be made on form provided by the above.
C.Â
Application must be made at least two (2) weeks in advance
with the person in charge of the facility you wish to use.
D.Â
However, priority 7 through 9 meetings may be canceled
with one (1) week's notice if the space is needed for a priority 2 meeting.
Town facilities will be allocated according to the following priorities,
with all possible effort made to adjust schedules for mutual convenience:
A.Â
Regularly scheduled meetings of town agencies such as
Town Council, Board of Education, commissions or advisory boards. (The schedules
for these meetings shall be filed according to C.G.S. Section 1-21 with the
Town Clerk not later than January 31 for the ensuing year.)
B.Â
Meetings or programs sponsored by the town or its agencies,
the Board of Education or other governmental agencies.
C.Â
Party caucuses or Town Committee meetings.
D.Â
Recognized nonprofit youth groups such as Scouts or 4-H.
E.Â
Political parties holding nonpartisan activities of general
interest where no fee is levied.
F.Â
Community groups not under direct control of a town or
school agency. Community groups are defined as:
H.Â
Groups made up primarily of Mansfield residents, open
only to specific members.
I.Â
Other groups may use the facilities, depending on availability.
A.Â
Individuals or groups using town grounds, buildings or
equipment are responsible for and must assume the cost of any damages to town
property. They shall see that all equipment is returned to the custodian or
other person in charge.
B.Â
Use of town-owned equipment may require the presence
of a town employee. A charge will be levied to cover costs.
C.Â
Town authorities reserve the right to revoke a permit
at any time for failure to follow facility use rules and procedures.
Requests will be evaluated on the following criteria:
A.Â
Availability of space requested. Facilities will be allocated
according to priorities outlined in this policy statement. Organizations requesting
regular use of facilities may occasionally be asked to make adjustment for
special town use. In such cases, efforts will be made to provide another facility.
B.Â
Appropriateness of request. Requests for facilities will
be granted according to the availability of rooms, economy of cost and maintenance
and appropriateness of request according to group size and purpose. Large
groups generally will be given priority for use of the Council Chamber or
Buchanan Auditorium.
C.Â
Special requests. Use of facilities over and above that
allowed in this policy should be directed to the office of the Town Manager.
Requests may be approved, denied or approved with the levy of a special charge
commensurate with any additional costs.
A.Â
No charges shall be levied for use by groups 1 through
6 when a building is ordinarily open.
B.Â
Charges will be levied for the following when buildings
are technically closed:
(1)Â
Groups in category 6 will be charged for custodial service.
(a)Â
Custodian: Fees determined according to the bargaining
agreement in effect at the time services are rendered. Minimum of two-hour
charge. (NOTE: Exceptions may be made for community groups holding activities
for the community at large at which no admission charge is involved.)
(2)Â
Groups in categories 7, 8 and 9 will be charged for custodial
services and facility (heat, lights and water) costs.
(a)Â
Town Council Chambers, Buchanan Auditorium, Old Town
Hall, Senior Center Meeting Room: one hundred dollars ($100.) [NOTE: Exceptions
may be made for community groups holding activities for the community at large
at which no admission charge is involved.] (The user fee schedule for other
Senior Center areas is available from the Senior Center Coordinator.)
(b)Â
Town Office Building Conference Rooms, Senior Center
Library: twenty-five dollars ($25.).
(c)Â
School buildings, including gymnasiums: User fees are
available from the Coordinator of Adult/Community Education.
(d)Â
Athletic fields: twenty-five dollars ($25.) per use if
grounds are left as found. Permission to use fields will be revoked in the
event of unsuitable conditions as determined by the Directors of Public Works
and Recreation.
A.Â
A responsible person must be present to admit participants
and supervise activities. Such persons shall remain in the designated area
until all participants and spectators have left, and shall be responsible
for the security of all furniture and materials in the room and all equipment
used.
B.Â
No smoking is allowed in any building at any time.
C.Â
The serving of refreshments requires specific permission
from the individual in charge of reservations.
D.Â
Permission to use any town-owned equipment be arranged
in advance. In some instances, charges will be levied for personnel required
to operate this equipment.
E.Â
When meetings are scheduled which expect large attendance,
a police officer my be necessary for traffic/crowd control. If such personnel
is required, the arrangements must be made by the user.
F.Â
The Town of Mansfield carries insurance to cover accidents
caused by faulty maintenance or equipment. Any other kind of coverage is the
responsibility of the user. In some instances, a certificate of insurance
may be required before permission is granted for use.
G.Â
No alterations or additions to grounds, facilities or
equipment shall be made without prior approval of the Town Manager. No nails,
tacks or tape may be used on the walls. Tables in the Council Chambers are
not to be moved.
H.Â
Use time shall include time to set up and take down equipment
and settings. All non-town property shall be removed by the group using the
facility at the end of the activity.
A.Â
Applicants falling within Groups 7, 8 and 9 may be asked
to provide a certificate of insurance naming the Town of Mansfield as an additional
insured, evidencing bodily injury and property damage insurance in an amount
not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000.), which certificate shall show
that the required insurance will be in force on the date(s) of the scheduled
activity. Said certificate shall include a thirty-day cancellation notice.
B.Â
The Town of Mansfield reserves the right to require any
applicant, regardless of code, to have a certificate of insurance on file.
Groups which fail to adhere to the stipulations in this policy will
be denied future access to town-owned facilities.