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.
Town facilities will be allocated according to the following priorities,
with all possible effort made to adjust schedules for mutual convenience:
A. 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. Meetings or programs sponsored by the town or its agencies,
the Board of Education or other governmental agencies.
C. Party caucuses or Town Committee meetings.
D. Recognized nonprofit youth groups such as Scouts or 4-H.
E. Political parties holding nonpartisan activities of general
interest where no fee is levied.
F. Community groups not under direct control of a town or
school agency. Community groups are defined as:
(1) Composed primarily of Mansfield residents.
(2) Providing a service to Mansfield residents.
(3) Participation and/or membership is open to anyone.
(4) Sponsored/administered by a volunteer board of directors.
G. Meetings of religious groups and money-raising activities sponsored by community or political groups other than those in Subsections
A and
B.
H. Groups made up primarily of Mansfield residents, open
only to specific members.
I. Other groups may use the facilities, depending on availability.
Requests will be evaluated on the following criteria:
A. 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. 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. 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.
Groups which fail to adhere to the stipulations in this policy will
be denied future access to town-owned facilities.