[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Selectmen
of the Town of Madison 10-9-1979. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The Madison Board of Selectmen hereby finds
a need to define the parameters of acceptable use of Town property
by groups, individual members of the public and Town employees to
safeguard the public's interest and coordinate request for use of
public facilities.
A.
The Madison Board of Selectmen hereby directs that facilities such
as the Municipal Building Conference Room and the meeting rooms at
the Old Point School shall be made available for community use based
upon the following order of priority:
[Amended 6-10-2019]
(1)
Town government uses. Meetings by local boards, departments,
and commissions of the Town of Madison.
(2)
Other government uses. Meetings by various agencies
of the state government, regional governmental agencies and quasi-governmental
agencies.
(3)
Nongovernment uses. Nonprofit organizations, fraternal
organizations, social organizations, civic organizations, charitable
organizations, and individual members of the community.
B.
Profit organizations, religious organizations or parties affiliated
with religious organizations shall be prohibited from using Town facilities.
[Amended 6-10-2019]
C.
Use of facilities shall be based upon the priority
system as listed above. Within priority categories, use of the facility
will be based on a first-come first-served basis. The Madison Board
of Selectmen shall have first priority at all times and reserves the
right to request and direct any group, board, commission, agency,
individual, etc., to reschedule meetings to another time and place
when it is in the best interest of the Town to do so. The Town shall
not be responsible for compensating any group, board, commission,
agency, individual, etc., for expenses incurred because of such a
request or directive.
D.
All applications for use of the Municipal Conference
Room shall be made through the Town Manager's office. The Manager
may make available other space in the Municipal Building to accommodate
requests.
The Madison Board of Selectmen hereby directs
that the Manager supervise the implementation of the following policy:
A.
Employee use. Town employees may use Town facilities
and equipment only in situations specifically permitted by department
policy and authorized by the department head. Town vehicles may not
be used for personal reasons except vehicles made available for department
head use under separate policy or contractual provisions. Supplies
of the Town may not be used by employees of the Town for personal
use. No charge for the use of facilities shall be assessed against
employees provided the facilities are returned to their original state
prior to use. Tools and equipment lost or broken due to other than
natural wear shall be reimbursed to the Town. No employee is permitted
to use any equipment or vehicles without proper training and without
proper authorization by the department head. Employees may not use
facilities and equipment to benefit friends or relatives, nor shall
facilities and equipment be used for other persons for which some
form of remuneration is received. Town Garage facilities may not used
by any Town employees from November 1 through May 1.
B.
Department head responsibility. Departments of the
Town shall be responsible for establishing a written policy concerning
employee use of departmental property consistent with this Selectmen's
policy. This policy shall be designed to safeguard the public's interest
in departmental property. Said policy shall be presented to the Town
Manager for review as to its consistency with this policy.
C.
Agent in charge. The Town Manager shall be deemed
the agent in charge of all Town property and may delegate this authority
to another. The Manager may adopt additional rules to cover items
of property not covered specifically in the Selectmen's policy and
not covered in department policy. Any person or group may be barred
from any Town property or facility by the Town Manager or his designee,
and any person refusing to leave the premises shall be considered
criminally trespassing. During public meetings of any Town board or
commission, it shall be prima facie evidence that upon the call of
order of the meeting, the Manager has delegated his authority to act
as the agent of the Town in the control of the meeting area of the
facility in which the board is meeting to the chairman of the board
or commission.
D.
Contracting of work. Nothing in this policy shall
prohibit the Town workforce equipment and supplies from being used
for nonpublic use when a reasonable fee for said services is negotiated.
Contracted work shall be at the discretion of the department head.
A reasonable fee shall allow the Town to recover full cost for labor,
materials, and maintenance of equipment as well as a cost for depreciation
of equipment similar to the State Department of Transportation charge
for heavy equipment. Any contract work entered into by agents of the
Town is subject to review by the Madison Board of Selectmen.
E.
Noncontracted work. No work shall be performed by
Town labor using Town equipment and supplies unless in compliance
with the contract work provision of this policy. The following are
the exceptions to this prohibition:
(1)
Assistance rendered to persons due to financial hardship
or emergency circumstances.
(2)
Work performed in fulfillment of an agreement, either
written or verbal, entered into by the Town or its agents where the
interests of both parties are benefited. Such agreements shall include
agreements for the disposition of wood from within Town rights-of-way,
and maintaining watercourses. Any agreements entered into by agents
of the Town are subject to review by the Madison Board of Selectmen.
(3)
To protect property from damage during times of natural
disaster or emergencies.
(4)
To perform work in conjunction with Town projects
or programs for road or sidewalk improvement, fire prevention, community
beautification or other public projects where the public interest
shall be served.
(5)
Any project deemed to be in the public's interest
to undertake, and specifically approved by the Madison Board of Selectmen.
(6)
Snow removal from employee driveways by Town snowplowing
equipment.
(7)
To perform work or repair damage for which the Town
may be held liable.
The Madison Board of Selectmen reserves the
right to adopt additional polices from time to time on the use of
Town property. All preexisting written and enacted policies not inconsistent
with this policy shall remain in full force.
