Facility Usage and Solicitation Policy

Policy number: 2005-03

Effective date: August 8, 2005

Last revision date: May 9, 2011 

On this page

1. Purpose
2. Policy
   1. Facility Usage
   2. Solicitation and Distribution of Material
   3. Posting on Bulletin Boards
   4. Exceptions to the Policy

1. Purpose

To regulate facility usage, solicitation and distribution of material within Haldimand County Administration and Service Facilities.

2. Policy

Definitions:

County Administration Facility

• Cayuga Administration Building; all satellite offices; Kohler office, Haldimand County Caledonia Centre administration office and Dunnville Multi-purpose Facility.

County related uses

• Any direct Haldimand County administration, committees of Council, Advisory Committees of Council, or committees/boards that have Council appointed members, excluding voluntary membership of staff or council.

County Service Facility

• Any municipal workplace facility owned by Haldimand County, not including an Administration Facility.  Includes, but is not limited to: operations/works buildings and yards, arenas, pools, libraries, museums, land ambulance facilities, waste site locations.

Distribution

• The physical posting or handing out or electronic transmission (i.e. e-mail) of any material or items of any type that would aid or help in soliciting.

Solicitation

• Approaching, urging, inviting, requesting or persuading individuals to accept or purchase goods or services, support an initiative or cause, join an organization or make contributions of time, money, merchandise or property.

Work Time

• The period of time designated for the performance of actual job duties and responsibilities, either by the person soliciting or distributing, or the person being solicited.  Meal or break times are not designated as work time as they apply to this policy.

Work Areas

• Places where the business of the County is being conducted within County administration facilities such as; work stations, offices, meeting rooms and does not include designated meal or break rooms.

Application

The Corporation’s Facility Usage and Solicitation Policy will apply to the County’s Administration Facilities as well as all other County Service Facilities.  

Authority

The Chief Administrative Officer (C.A.O.) is the authorizing individual with respect to this policy and shall make the final decisions on matters related to such, or shall delegate this authority to an appropriate individual.

Description:

1.  Facility Usage

County Administration and Service Facilities shall be for County related uses only.  Use by private business, not-for-profit agencies, and community groups or an individual is not permitted.

Use of County Administration facilities after hours for County related business must have Haldimand County staff in attendance as a participant of the meeting.  The staff member responsible for the meeting shall also be responsible for the security of the building for the duration of the meeting.

All after-hours meetings at County Administration Facilities must be booked through the corporate Outlook software and an email must be sent to the Facilities Division to advise of the booking, for security reasons.

All committee rooms shall be left in the condition they were prior to the meeting.  It is the responsibility of the staff person participating in the meeting to ensure all garbage, food, etc. is cleared from tables.  All equipment must be returned to its appropriate location.

Staff or Council members present at any after-hours meetings should inform cleaning staff of the estimated time of completion, for safety purposes.  

Any requests for exceptions to this policy as they relate to use of Administration facilities must be directed to the Office of the C.A.O.

2.  Solicitation and Distribution of Material

Solicitation of employees or members of Council, or distributing material meant to solicit, to employees or members of Council in work areas during work time is not permitted.  Not-for-profit solicitation involving employees may be permitted in non-work areas during non-work time under the circumstances outlined in this policy.  

Commercial sales activities may be permitted in County Administration or Service Facilities unless expressly prohibited by any other policy or by-law.

For the purposes of fundraising, employees or members of Council, who are representing a not for profit organization, are permitted to place notices of product sales, displays of products or pledge forms in employee break or meal rooms.  The parameters for such activities are as follows:

• Such notices or displays must include the employee name and the beneficiary of the funds being raised.   
• In order to protect staff from solicitation or interruptions in the performance of their daily workplace routines, verbal solicitation of an employee by another is not permitted while either is on work time.  
• Selling, as well as distributing advertising material, printed literature of any kind is not permitted in working areas.  Electronic distribution, such as e-mail, is also not permitted for the purposes of solicitation.  
• The County is not responsible for any loss of product or money that may result from the conduct of the sale or pledge on its premises.  
• The County has the right to remove any notice or display that is in violation of this policy, or that has been determined inappropriate.  
• If such fundraising activities become disruptive to the conduct of official County business, the activity may be terminated.

3.  Posting on Bulletin Boards

For the purposes of this policy, there are two types of bulletin boards:

• Community Bulletin Boards
• Open Bulletin Boards

Community Bulletin Boards are those placed, at the discretion of the Chief Administrative Officer, within County Administration buildings, where space allows, located where the general public can easily view them.  The parameters for Community Bulletin Boards are as follows:

• Not-for-profit community organizations may post information on the Community Bulletin Boards to provide details of events, programs or services they are offering
• Commercial advertising may be permitted.
• Posted materials, other than direct County programs, are limited to a maximum size of 8 ½” X 14” and must include the name of the responsible organization
• All posted materials must be in good taste for all ages, non-denominational and non-discriminatory
• Outdated materials are to be removed by the community organization.  The County reserves the right to remove any outdated information without notice.
• Posted materials must be brought to the Customer Service Representative prior to posting.  If the material is deemed to be questionable it will be forwarded to the Manager of Support Services for authorization.
• The County will remove items posted in violation of this policy.

Open Bulletin Boards are those bulletin boards placed in a non-work area such as a designated meal or break room and intended for employee use only, unrelated to County business. The parameters for Open Bulletin Boards are as follows:

• Employees may post information regarding personal items for sale or rent, fundraising information, etc. to provide other employees with details of products or services being offered.
• Commercial advertising is not permitted.
• Posted materials are limited to a maximum size of 8 ½” X 14” and must include the name of the responsible individual(s).
• All posted materials must be in good taste for all ages, non-denominational and non-discriminatory
• Outdated materials are to be removed by the individual responsible.  The County reserves the right to remove any outdated information without notice.
• The County will remove items posted in violation of this policy.

4.  Exceptions to the Policy

Not-for-profit organizations are not permitted to solicit in County facilities, with the exception of posting information on the community bulletin boards or if the solicitation is by an employee or member of Council that is representing the organization.  Not for profit organizations that are involved in the County’s Charitable Donation Payroll Deduction Program are exempt from this policy.  The Human Resources Division administers the Charitable Donations Payroll Program.

The Haldimand County Souvenirs Program, administered by the Tourism Division, is exempt from this policy.

Any group renting/leasing a municipal facility will adhere to the conditions outlined in the rental agreement, as they relate to facility usage and solicitation.

Groups that are associated with Haldimand County operational activities and whose main goals are to assist the County through the raising of funds and/or provision of voluntary assistance such as:  the Friends of the Museums, Friends of the Libraries, and Haldimand County Firefighter Associations, shall be exempt from this policy.

The sales of poppies to recognize Remembrance Day as a National day of respect.

Any other exemptions to this policy must be approved for exception by presenting a proposal, in writing, to the C.A.O.’s office, outlining in detail:

• a description of the solicitation/distribution
• the benefits to the County, if permitted
• the benefits to the group/individual requesting the exemption.