Item 10AM E M O R A N D U M
September 30, 2009
To:
Shana Yelverton, City Manager
From:
Ben Thatcher, Assistant City Manager
Subject:
Item 10A:Discuss possible revisions to the Town Hall Use Policy.
Action
Requested:
Staff will be seeking feedback from City Council on several
potential revisions to the Town Hall Use Policy. No formal action is
requested at this time.
Background:
The current Town Hall Use Policy was approved by the City Council
in 2001 and was established to sustain the facility’s life-cycle,
protect and preserve the unique qualities of Town Hall, guide the
management and use of the facility, and prevent misuse. Staff
would like to discuss potential revisions to the policy to incorporate
the following:
1. Evolve the Town Hall Use Policy into a more comprehensive
facility use policy to add in the other facilities that have
community meeting rooms (i.e. DPS West, Senior Activity
Center, the Lodge, and future DPS Headquarters).
2. Provide language that speaks to community group signage
outside of the facilities. Currently the policy addresses
signage inside the Town Hall, but there is no language
speaking to posting signs on or around the building.
3. Discuss the room rental fee schedule by community groups.
Currently there is no rental fee for the Town Hall meeting
rooms, but there is a fee for renting the Lodge and Senior
Activity Center. We will discuss whether or not there should
be a consistent rental fee for all identified community
meeting rooms.
4. Display public art in City facilities. The City is starting to
receive requests from groups wanting to display art in City
facilities, more specifically Town Hall. The Arts Council has
discussed how an art displaying program in the City’s
facilities might work, and their recommendations will be
presented to City Council for feedback.
Page 1
Financial
Considerations:
None at this time. However funds were budgeted in the FY 2010
budget for purchasing displays for public art in Town Hall.
Strategic Link:
B4 Provide high quality customer service
F3 Invest to provide and maintain high quality public assets
Citizen Input/
Board Review:
The Arts Council has met and discussed how a possible
public art displaying program might work in Town Hall.
Legal Review:
N/A
Alternatives:
No action is being sought at this time. Staff will take City Council
input and bring back a revised policy at a future date for approval.
Supporting
Documents:
1. Town Hall Use Policy
Staff
Recommendation:
N/A
Page 2
City of Southlake
Policies and Procedures
Policy: Town Hall Reservation Policy
Source:
City Council
Category:Southlake Town Hall
Effective Date: March 1, 2001
Revised Date: --
Statement of Purpose.
I.
Due to its uniqueness as a major community facility, the purpose of this policy is to serve
as a guideline for the management and scheduling of uses within the Southlake Town
Hall Building. As a public facility, the intent of this policy is to balance the requirements
necessary to conduct and perform the public business of two (2) entities with the needs of
citizen and community-based access and use of the Town Hall, while maintaining the
unique qualities of the facility.
For information regarding reservations within the Town Hall building, please contact
Executive Secretary Kim Bush at (817) 481-1420, or submit a request in writing to the
City of Southlake, City Manager’s Office, 1400 Main Street, Suite 460, Southlake, Texas
76092.
Southlake Town Hall Reservation Policy.
II.
Definitions
A. – For the purpose of clarification of this Town Hall Reservation
Policy, the following terms are defined as:
1.Residents – Citizens who live within the city limits of Southlake or pay
property tax to the City of Southlake or Carroll Independent School District.
2.Regular Meetings – Meetings held on weekdays, between the hours of 6:00
a.m. on Monday to 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Regular meetings are held on a
biweekly, monthly, or bimonthly basis, held at least six (6) times per year and
no more than two (2) times per month.
3.Community-Based Organization – For the purposes of this policy, a
community-based organization meets at least two (2) of the following criteria:
(a)The organization is a registered non-profit organization.
(b)The requesting organization is based in Southlake, that is its Post Office
address is a Southlake address, or that a majority of its members, including
officers, qualify as residents defined in this policy.
(c)The organization has a current, approved Facility Usage Agreement or a
current, approved Scope of Services Agreement with the City of
Southlake.
Southlake Town Hall Reservation Policy 09/30/09 Page 1 of 1
4.Professional Organizations – Professional Organizations of which City or
Tarrant County Staff is affiliated with or where either body is represented may
use the Town Hall facility on an as available basis if the reservation request is
submitted through an employee of the City of Southlake or Tarrant County.
The employee who submits the request is responsible for the condition of the
reserved facility throughout the use by the organization.
5.Political Uses – Southlake Town Hall will not be available for partisan
political uses or available for use by or for the benefit of declared candidates
for local, state, or national office. Local issue-oriented political groups that
register with the City Secretary’s Office may reserve the facilities on an as-
available basis.
6.Public-Access Facilities – The following facilities are available for public
reservations and use that meets the criteria defined in this policy:
rd
(a)3 Floor – Conference Rooms #3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d (including kitchenette if
Please note that per the Interlocal
included in the reservation request).
Agreement with Tarrant County, City and County Elections take priority
over all other uses of these rooms
.
th
(b)4 Floor – Conference Rooms #4a and #4b.
7.Approved-Access Facilities – The following facilities are available for public
use upon review by City Staff and approval by the City Manager. Requests
for use of these facilities will be evaluated on the linkage to a extra-ordinary
or non-routine community based activity, and the availability of the requested
facility:
(a)The City Council Chambers.
(b)The Courtroom facility – Per the Interlocal Agreement with Tarrant
County, this facility is to be utilized equally between the City and County.
Both parties have input on the scheduling of this facility.
(c)The Southlake Public Library - including all facilities within the Library.
Please also note that requests for usage of the Southlake Public Library
also are subject to the Policies and Procedures for the Library as
approved by the City Council
.
Scheduling and Access
B. – Reservations for public-access rooms as defined in this
policy are available on a first-come, as available basis. Reservation requests for
non-City or County events for the Town Hall facilities may only be made within
thirty (30) days of the requested date. The Town Hall facilities are not available
to for-profit, commercial, or political (as defined in Section II.A. of the policy)
Southlake Town Hall Reservation Policy 09/30/09 Page 2 of 2
uses. The facilities are available for public uses by resident and community-based
organizations as defined in Section II.A. of this policy. Petitioners of approved
reservation requests must enter into a written agreement with the City of
Southlake for the reservation at least ten (10) days prior to the reservation time.
Failure to meet this deadline will automatically void the approved reservation.
Non-political fundraising events in the facility will be considered in accordance
with Section II.C. of this policy.
Reservations are subject to last minute revision, as the City of Southlake shall
have the authority to bring in priority functions that may necessitate the removal
of activities previously scheduled. The primary use of this facility is to benefit
the public at large and any activities scheduled by the City or Tarrant County for
the public benefit should be given priority over private individuals or groups
using this facility. The City Manager’s Office will review requests and approve
written agreements with the requesting parties for public use of the facility, and
prepares a weekly schedule of authorized building reservations and forwards this
schedule to the Public Safety Dispatch. Keys will only be issued for approved
scheduled meetings and activities in accordance with the approved Town Hall
Building Reservation Procedures.
As Tarrant County is a partial owner in the facility, they may schedule events in
their areas as desired, however they will coordinate all scheduled meetings
outside of their designated areas with the City Manager’s Office. Tarrant County
will schedule the public-access and approved-access areas to the City Manager’s
Office for review and approval. Per the interlocal agreement between Tarrant
County and the City of Southlake, the Courtroom area is to be utilized equally
between the parties, and both parties must be notified of any scheduling requests
for this area prior to approval.
Fees for reserving Town Hall facilities (including security and cleanup deposits)
shall be in accordance with the City of Southlake’s Fee Schedule, as reviewed and
approved by the City Council on an annual basis. All applicable fees must be
paid to the City within ten (10) days of the reservation time; failure to meet this
deadline will result in automatically voiding the approved resolution. The City
Manager’s Office must be notified of cancellations within 48 hours of the
reservation time; failure to comply will result in the loss of the security deposit
and may limit the privilege or reserving Town Hall facilities in the future. Please
refer to the Fee Schedule for the associated costs in reserving Town Hall facilities.
Fundraising Events by Community Based Organizations
C. – Organizations
requesting use of the Town Hall facilities for fundraising events shall complete
The City
and submit an application to the City Manager’s Office for approval.
will not deny any request to use the Town Hall facilities for fund raising
purposes on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, nationality,
or any other discriminatory intent
. Generally, the City will grant approval only
for events which meet the following criteria:
Southlake Town Hall Reservation Policy 09/30/09 Page 3 of 3
1.The requesting organization is a not-for-profit organization.
2.The request is not of a partisan political nature or for the benefit of a declared
candidate for local, state, or national office.
3.The event is requested in sufficient lead-time for staff to determine impact on
surrounding facilities and previously scheduled events.
4.The sponsoring organization agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the City
of Southlake and/or Tarrant County and its agents, and is capable of carrying
sufficient liability insurance as may be required.
5.The sponsoring organization will provide a security and cleanup deposit as
may be required by the City of Southlake.
6.The event will not cause detrimental impact to the City staff and available
resources, or to the physical capacity of the requested location to host the
event, including, but not limited to:
(a)The parking capacity and the potential impact of the requested event on
other planned events.
(b)The number of planned participants and the traffic impact upon the
location.
(c)Other scheduled events and/or uses of the location that increase the usage
of the Town Hall facilities above the recommended capacity.
The City Manager may approve events that meet the criteria described. If the
event does not meet these criteria, or the application is denied, the requestor may
petition the City Council for review and approval or denial. The City Council’s
decision shall be final.
Regular Meetings
D. – Regular meetings that meet the criteria in Section II.A of
this policy may be held in the facilities upon availability of the facility. No
organization may have more than two (2) meetings per month in the Town Hall
facilities.
Equipment
E. – As general practice, due to the sophisticated systems within the
Town Hall facility, utilization of the facility equipment and the audio / visual
system will be prohibited. If the requestor has audio / visual requirements, a
request may be included for a reservation of approved staffing to operate the
audio / visual equipment and/or systems. This request must be submitted at the
time of the initial reservation request. The petitioner must pay the hourly cost of
Southlake Town Hall Reservation Policy 09/30/09 Page 4 of 4
any staff resources that are committed to the reservation and fees associated with
equipment and/or systems usage.
Decorations may not be affixed to any furniture, finishings, or equipment in the
Town Hall facilities. Questions regarding allowable decorations may be directed
to the City Manager’s Office prior to the reservation time.
Insurance Requirements.
III.
Need to discuss insurance requirements for use of Town Hall facilities, if any.
Individual and/or Group Responsibilities.
IV.
The responsibility for setting up tables and chairs (if applicable) shall remain with the
individuals or organizations making the reservation. If applicable, tables, chairs, and any
provided equipment must be returned to the original arrangement when the reservation is
complete. Individuals and organizations must remove all trash, equipment, and
decorations at the end of the reservation time. Facilities must be left in good, clean
condition when the activity is complete. Individuals and/or organizations making the
reservation shall be responsible for turning off all lights and securing the facility.
Individuals or groups making reservations are responsible for any damage to the facility,
and may be subject to applicable civil and criminal penalties.
Compliance with applicable procedures, policies, and pertinent ordinances.
V.
Users must comply with procedures, policies, restrictions, and all pertinent ordinances of
the City of Southlake. Any questions arising about items not specifically addressed in
this policy should be referred to City staff or the Southlake City Council as appropriate.
Southlake Town Hall Reservation Policy 09/30/09 Page 5 of 5