Town of Mansfield, CT Chapter A197 Town Facilities

[HISTORY: Included as revised by the Town Council of the Town of Mansfield November 1992. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]

§ A197-1 Legislative intent.

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.

§ A197-2 Request procedure.

A. All requests for use of buildings, grounds and equipment shall be approved or disapproved by:

(1) Town Clerk: Beck Town Office Building.

(2) Library Director: Buchanan Center.

(3) Board of Education offices: K-8 school buildings.

(4) Recreation Director: athletic fields.

(5) Senior Center Coordinator: Senior Center.

B. Requests must be made on form provided by the above.

C. Application must be made at least two (2) weeks in advance with the person in charge of the facility you wish to use.

D. 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.

§ A197-3 Priority of groups.

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.

§ A197-4 Responsibility for grounds, buildings and equipment.

A. 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. Use of town-owned equipment may require the presence of a town employee. A charge will be levied to cover costs.

C. Town authorities reserve the right to revoke a permit at any time for failure to follow facility use rules and procedures.

§ A197-5 Rules and procedures.

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.

§ A197-6 Fees for use of buildings.

A. No charges shall be levied for use by groups 1 through 6 when a building is ordinarily open.

B. Charges will be levied for the following when buildings are technically closed:

(1) Groups in category 6 will be charged for custodial service.

(a) 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) Groups in categories 7, 8 and 9 will be charged for custodial services and facility (heat, lights and water) costs.

(a) 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) Town Office Building Conference Rooms, Senior Center Library: twenty-five dollars ($25.).

(c) School buildings, including gymnasiums: User fees are available from the Coordinator of Adult/Community Education.

(d) 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.

§ A197-7 General use rules.

A. 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. No smoking is allowed in any building at any time.

C. The serving of refreshments requires specific permission from the individual in charge of reservations.

D. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.

§ A197-8 Insurance requirements.

A. 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. The Town of Mansfield reserves the right to require any applicant, regardless of code, to have a certificate of insurance on file.

§ A197-9 Failure to comply.

Groups which fail to adhere to the stipulations in this policy will be denied future access to town-owned facilities.