[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Selectmen
of the Town of Simsbury 6-8-1992. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Code of Ethics — See Ch. 13.
The purpose of this chapter is to establish
uniform procedures to govern the donation to and receipt by the town
of gifts of money or of value from citizens, foundations, business
concerns and others, both for specific purposes and for general use
by the town. In addition to the provisions of this chapter, the town
will determine whether to accept gifts by taking into consideration
the Code of Ethics of the town[1] and the selection policy governing the acquisition of
purchased materials.
A.
No donation of more than $1,500 shall be accepted by the town unless it has received the prior approval of the Board of Selectmen. Donations of $1,500 or less may be made directly to the Finance Director, who is authorized to accept them without prior Board of Selectmen approval. The Board of Directors of the library shall, however, retain the power provided in Code § 34-3 to accept any bequest, gift or endowment for the benefit of the library, on behalf of and as the agent of the town, and such gift, bequest or endowment shall promptly be delivered to the Director of Finance - Treasurer for custody and investment. Contributors of any sum to the town shall provide a letter properly designating the purposes and conditions, if any, of the gift. Individuals desiring anonymity shall state so in that letter, in which event the town will undertake to preserve their anonymity.
B.
The Director of Finance shall establish a special
account for the deposit of donations of $1,500 or more which the donor
has designated for use for specific purposes. After a period not to
exceed two years and/or the completion of the specific purpose for
which the funds have been donated, excess funds shall be deposited
in the general fund unless the town has accepted the gift under different
conditions.
No nonmonetary gift to the town shall be accepted without the prior approval of the Board of Selectmen. Contributors shall execute a document giving the town the right to use the gift in its sole and absolute discretion and relinquishing any future claim to the gift. The Board of Directors of the library shall retain the power provided in Code § 34-4 to accept any nonmonetary bequest or gift for the benefit of the library on behalf of and as the agent of the town and shall, within 10 days of receipt of said bequest or gift, report its receipt and a description of it to the Director of Finance - Treasurer if the bequest or gift has a value sufficient to warrant its placement on the town inventory.
A.
In considering whether to approve acceptance of such
a gift, the Board of Selectmen shall consider the following:
(1)
Whether the gift is appropriate for a public building
or facility.
(2)
Whether the gift will benefit the town and the community.
(3)
Whether there is space in a public facility to accommodate
it.
(4)
Whether there are maintenance or repair costs involved
and, if there are, how they will be funded.
(5)
Whether there are insurance costs associated with
receiving and maintaining the gift.
B.
The town will not evaluate gifts for tax purposes
but shall acknowledge the receipt of a gift for purposes of enabling
the donor to receive a tax deduction.
A.
Before a donor offers a gift of personal property
to the town which does not exceed $1,500 in value, the donor shall
discuss the proposed gift with the Director of Finance if the gift
is to be directed to a specific program or department or with the
Town Manager if the proposed gift is intended for system-wide use
by the town. The Director of Finance may accept any such gift not
in excess of $1,500 in value if he determines that acceptance of the
gift is consistent with the goals of the town.
[Amended 7-12-2021]
B.
Before a donor offers a gift of personal property
to a town department or program or to the town offices having a value
in excess of $1,500, the donor shall complete the form entitled "Proposed
Donation/Gift of Personal Property to the Simsbury Town Offices."
That form shall be submitted initially to the Director of Finance
if the donation or gift is to be directed toward a specific program
or department. The Director of Finance shall thereupon secure any
additional information pertinent to the decision whether to accept
the gift and forward the form and such information, including a recommendation,
to the First Selectman. If a gift is intended for system-wide use,
the completed form shall be given directly to the First Selectman
by the donor.
C.
Upon receipt of said form, the First Selectman shall
review all pertinent information related to the gift and prepare a
recommendation as to approval or disapproval by the Board of Selectmen.
D.
Potential donors of personal property to a program,
department or the town offices shall be advised by the Director of
Finance that, in determining whether to accept a gift, the Board of
Selectmen will base its determination upon whether the gift is in
the best interests of the town and the community at large.
E.
At the conclusion of each fiscal year, the Director
of Finance shall provide to the Board of Selectmen a list of all gifts
accepted by the town during the preceding fiscal year that had a value
in excess of $1,500.
