Policy 611 - Use of County Facilities
Adopted on June 22, 2023
Effective July 1, 2023
The Board believes that the grounds and facilities of this Board should be made available for organized community activities and for nonorganized recreation, provided that such use does not infringe on the original and necessary purpose of the property or interfere with the educational program of the schools.
The Board will permit the use of Board grounds and facilities for organized community activities when such permission has been requested in writing by a responsible organization or a group of citizens and has been approved by the Superintendent.
When necessary for the proper maintenance and operation of a facility under community use, the Board shall employ custodial staff for extra-duty assignments pursuant to state law. The Superintendent shall develop administrative guidelines specifying the number of employees to be employed under such extra-duty assignments and for what minimum and maximum shift(s) for each facility available for use under this policy.
Board grounds and facilities shall be available for the below-listed uses. When there are competing interests, approval will be given according to the following priorities:
- uses directly related to the schools and the operations of the schools
- uses and groups indirectly related to the schools
- meetings of employee associations
- uses for voter registration and elections
- departments or agencies of the municipal government
- other governmental agencies
- community organizations or groups of individuals formed for charitable, civic, social, religious, where permitted by law, recreational, and educational purposes
Facilities shall not be made available to commercial or profit making organizations or individuals offering services for profit. The foregoing notwithstanding, for the purposes of this policy, any photographer properly engaged to take school-related photographs shall not be prohibited from using school facilities under this policy or otherwise.
The use of County grounds and facilities shall not be granted for:
- private social functions;
- any purpose which is prohibited by law;
- groups, whether incorporated or not, which are organized primarily for the purposes of influencing legislation or advocating or opposing the nomination, election, or defeat of any candidate, or the passage or defeat of any issue, thing, or item to be voted upon.
Should all or any part of the County's community be struck by a disaster, the Board shall make County grounds and/or facilities available, at no charge, for the housing, feeding, and care of victims or potential victims when requested by local, State, or Federal authorities. The Superintendent should meet with appropriate state and local officials to establish a disaster preparedness plan in order to ensure that proper procedures are established to minimize confusion, inefficiency, and disruption of the educational program.
Board property may not be used for advertising of any tobacco or alcohol product. This shall apply at all times to any building, property, or vehicle leased, owned, or operated by the Board. Groups using Board property shall sign agreements with the Board agreeing to comply with this ban on advertising tobacco and alcohol products and to inform students, parents, and spectators by public address systems, if available, that this ban remains in force on evenings, weekends, and other times that school is not in session. A summary or copy of this ban on advertising tobacco and alcohol products shall be attached to all requests for use of school facilities.
Students, parents, and spectators will be informed by public address systems that West Virginia Board of Education Policy 4373 remains in force on evenings, weekends, and any other time that school is not in session.
The Superintendent shall develop administrative guidelines for the granting of permission to use County facilities including a schedule of fees that, together with the costs used to determine such fees, must be approved by the Board. Such guidelines are to include the following:
- Each user shall present proof of the purchase of a contract of insurance which provides general comprehensive liability coverage of any claim, demand, action suit, or judgment by reason of alleged negligence or other acts resulting in bodily injury or property damage to any person arising out of the use of County grounds and/or facilities.
- Use of school equipment in conjunction with the use of school facilities must be requested specifically in writing, and may be granted by the procedure by which permission to use facilities is granted. The users of school equipment must accept liability for any damage or loss to such equipment that occurs while it is in their use. Where rules so specify, no item of equipment may be used except by a qualified operator.
- Users shall be liable financially for damage to the facilities and for proper chaperonage.
- Fees for using school facilities may be waived if an individual or organization contributes real or personal property of value and/or makes an approved temporary or permanent improvement to the facility in use or another Board facility. This shall not be applied to any damage or other cost incurred as a result of failure to follow the published guidelines for use of school facilities.
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, no liability shall attach to this County, or any of its employees and officers, specifically as a consequence of permitting access to County grounds or facilities. Those persons or groups granted permission to use County grounds or facilities pursuant to this policy shall agree to indemnify the County and hold it harmless for any liability arising out of their use of those grounds or facilities.
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