Facilities

Private organizations may use the Council Chambers during and after normal business hours to hold their organizations’ regular and special meetings. Private organizations are encouraged to use one of the private meeting venues or the Ashland Library prior to requesting the use of the Chambers. Meetings of the Town Council, the boards, committees, and commissions that Council appoints or recommends appointment, and Town staff have priority for the use of the Chambers. 

 The organization should contact Town Hall at least fourteen days prior to their planned meeting to check availability and make necessary arrangements with staff. The organization must provide a single contact person (name, phone number, and e-mail address) who is responsible for the meeting including setup and cleanup. The organization must also provide a fixed start and end time for the meeting including setup and cleanup. Any use of the Chambers outside of business hours requires a Town staff person to be present in or adjacent to the Chambers for the duration of the meeting. Town staff availability cannot be guaranteed for every requested meeting. The organization will be charged $50.00 per hour for the use of the Chambers outside of normal business hours, which must be paid prior to the scheduled meeting.

 Approximately eighty (80) chairs and five (5) folding tables are available for use in Chambers. The private organization is responsible for setting up the tables and chairs as needed for their meeting and returning the fixtures to the Council meeting layout upon completion of the meeting. The audio-visual (AV) system and the dais area are not to be used. Any signage setup inside or directly adjacent to Town Hall during the meeting may not be political or otherwise advocate for a cause that could create the presumption of support or endorsement by the apolitical Town government. Food and beverages, except water, are prohibited in the Council Chambers

The Town Manager is the administrator of the policy and may accept or deny requests for the use of the Council Chambers based on the availability of the Town staff, meeting schedules, previous use of the Chambers by the requesting organization, and the organization’s purpose of the request.