Township of Middletown, PA Chapter 305 Meeting Hall, Municipal

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Middletown 2-19-1991 by Ord. No. 91-11 (Ch. 1, Part 10, of the 1992 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]

§ 305-101 Control and management.

The Township Municipal Building Meeting Hall shall be under the general control and supervision of the Township Manager of the Township of Middletown, subject to the terms and provisions of this chapter and other rules and regulations which may be enacted by the Board of Supervisors.

§ 305-102 Permitted uses.

The Municipal Building meeting rooms are hereby made available to the community and its organizations as hereinafter defined subject to the provisions of this chapter and existing lease agreements. For the purpose of setting forth the restrictions and limitations under which use of the meeting rooms is granted, organizations wishing to use such facilities are hereby divided into four classes or types.

A. Type "A" shall be any organization which is a duly constituted agency of the Township of Middletown performing official Township governmental functions, including the Board of Supervisors and all subsidiary advisory bodies. Type "A" shall include volunteer emergency services groups serving Middletown Township; volunteer athletic organizations serving the youth of Middletown Township; any authority, agency or organization in which the Township has membership appointed by the Board of Supervisors; and any association of employees of the Township of Middletown. Type "A" shall not include official governmental agencies of the United States, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the county or any school district.

B. Type "B" shall be any organization, club, association or group of Township residents constituting at least 10% of said organization's total membership or with at least 10 members who are Township residents, and whose purposes are of a civic, educational, political, social, cultural, recreational, charitable or religious nature.

C. Type "C" shall be any organization which is a duly constituted agency or school district performing official governmental functions of the United States, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the County of Bucks or any of the political subdivisions or jurisdictions in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

D. Type "D" shall be any organization of a commercial or profit-making nature or any other organization not specifically referenced in classes or types "A," "B" and "C" hereinabove. Meeting rooms shall not be used or reserved by any organization of Type "D," which type or class shall also include any individual or group seeking to use such facilities for private purposes, such as weddings, receptions, parties, etc.

E. Refusal power. The Township Manager is hereby granted the authority to refuse the use of the Township meeting rooms to any lessee when, in his opinion, such use would not be to the best interest of the public. The Township Manager or his authorized representative is granted the authority to forbid entrance to or to eject any objectionable or disorderly persons. Each lease for the use of meeting rooms shall contain a clause whereby the lessee waives any claim for damages against the Township, the Board of Supervisors, and Township employees and representatives for any such action.

§ 305-103 Application; reservation; deposit.

A. Organizations of Type "A" shall be given absolute priority in the use of the meeting rooms over all other organizations and without payment of any lease fee, providing they make the necessary reservations with the office of the Township Manager. Every lease agreement made with any organization other than those of Type "A" shall provide for cancellation upon 30 days' notice by the Township Manager in the event that the meeting room is required by a Type "A" organization. Furthermore, such lease shall also provide for cancellation upon 24 hours' notice for the purpose of allowing an organization of Type "A" to use the meeting rooms in the case of an emergency.

B. Application for use of the meeting rooms by any organization of Types "B" and "C" shall be made at the office of the Township Manager to such employee as the Township Manager shall designate, and such employee shall keep a record of all leases and for what purpose the meeting rooms are reserved. If the reservation is for meetings to be held over a period of less than six months, applicants must pay the established lease fee in advance at the time of application. If the reservation is for meetings to be held over a period of six months or more, applicants must pay at least 50% of the fee in advance and the remaining 50% by noon of the day on which the building is reserved. Applications for the use of said meeting rooms by organizations of Types "B" and "C" shall be filed and acted upon in order of their filing, and the Township Manager or his authorized representative shall make no deviation therefrom. No organization of Type "B" or "C" may reserve any rooms other than the meeting rooms, and such rooms may not be reserved for regular periodic use more frequently than once per calendar month, except at the discretion of the Township Manager. No such organization may reserve a meeting room for a longer period in advance than 12 months.

C. No organization renting any meeting room shall grant or permit any concession of a commercial nature at its meetings.

D. All applications by organizations of Types "B" and "C" shall be made in writing on a lease agreement form provided by the Township, in which the applicant shall agree to be bound by all provisions of this chapter. In addition, the lessee must provide a certificate of insurance naming Middletown Township as additional insured, demonstrating general liability insurance coverages in the amount of $250,000 per incident. The provision of the certificate of insurance may be waived at the discretion of the Township Manager.

E. The lessee, by entering into said lease agreement and providing said certificate of insurance, shall thereby waive any claim against and shall indemnify, save and hold harmless the Township of Middletown and its Board of Supervisors, employees and representatives for any damages to the premises, fittings, equipment and furnishings of the Municipal Building and its surrounding property during the time the premises are used or occupied under said lease and against claims of any and all persons for injury to persons or damage to property occasioned by or in connection with the use of the premises by lessee.

§ 305-104 Lease fees.

Organizations of Type "A" shall not be charged a lease fee. Organizations of Types "B" and "C" shall pay a lease fee for use of the meeting rooms in accordance with the applicable Township of Middletown Fee Schedule as may be set by resolution of the Board of Supervisors from time to time.[1] Although included in the Type "C" class of organizations, elected representatives of federal, state and county political subdivisions conducting town meetings and/or informational meetings to benefit the general public shall not be required to pay any lease fee. No extra fee shall be charged to organizations conducting meetings at which the organization charges an admission fee, but all such organizations shall comply with the Township's Entertainment Tax Ordinance (Chapter 448, Article III).

[1] Editor's Note: Township fee schedules are on file in the Township Municipal Building and available to be viewed on the Township's website at www.middletownbucks.org.

§ 305-105 General rules and regulations.

All organizations (hereinafter "lessee") leasing the meeting rooms shall be responsible for the conduct of their members, guests and spectators and for the compliance of the latter with the following rules and regulations:

A. All persons attending a meeting of any organization other than those constituting official agencies of the Township of Middletown performing official Township governmental functions shall remain in the meeting rooms, vestibule, or lavatory areas.

B. No person shall cause damage to any of the property of the Township within or without the meeting rooms. Damages shall result in charges based upon time and materials required to return the building or grounds to their proper condition.

C. No person shall possess, carry, sell, distribute or consume any intoxicating beverage or controlled substance as defined in the Pennsylvania Crimes Code, Title 18 Pa.C.S.A.

D. Gambling and/or other conduct detrimental to the public interest is not permitted in or on any Township building and/or grounds.

E. Any lessee serving refreshments shall completely clean up and remove all debris and refuse caused by the serving of such refreshments. Kitchen facilities are not available for use.

F. Buildings, grounds and equipment shall be left in clean and orderly condition. Failure to do so will result in charges based upon time and materials required to return same to its proper condition.

G. Smoking shall not be permitted in the meeting rooms or other areas of the building. Smoking is permitted outside the building, but no cigarette or cigar butts shall be permitted to fall upon the ground, parking areas or walkways, and all smokers shall utilize the trash receptacles provided.

H. The custodian's services shall be reimbursed directly by the Township, and no gratuities shall be offered or paid to him by any lessee.

I. No lessee shall bring into the rooms from the outside any equipment, decorations, props, signs or similar material except under the express conditions and arrangements made for such purpose with the Township Manager as to the extent, time, location and manner of use of such materials. The use of electrical extension cords is prohibited.

J. Any lessee who shall violate or fail to comply with any of these regulations may have its lease terminated without notice by the Township Manager.

K. Types "B" and "C" groups shall vacate the premises by 12:00 midnight.