KINGWOOD — Beginning Jan. 1, all those who want to use the Preston County Courthouse lawn or ring the historic 1870 bell will have to register in advance.
The county commission adopted policy and procedures for use of the lawn and bell last week. Up until now, anyone who wanted to use the lawn generally called the commission office.
Copies of the document will be on the county web page, prestoncountywv.gov, and at the commission office later this year.
When proposing the policy, County Administrator Kathy Mace said the county is seeing more requests to use the property, so it might be prudent to have something on file when they do. The policy “is a good place to start,” she said.
The policy requires any organization or group that wants to use the property, including county and municipal agencies, to complete the application and waiver of liability and deliver it to the commission 15 days before the event.
The two-page application asks for such basic information as the name and contact info for the applicant, a description of the event, and what date and time it will occur.
The application also notes that, “depending on the type of event being held and the length of the event, your organization may be required to show proof of liability insurance.” If this is the case, the proof must be provided at least seven days prior to the event. If insurance isn’t required, the applicant must sign a waiver of liability.
Whether insurance will be required is at the commission’s discretion. Mace said an instance when insurance might be called for is if a re-enactment group wanted to camp on the lawn or weekly farmer’s markets were held there.
“Those [uses] have not been requested in the past, but we were thinking if those ever would be permitted, you might need additional insurance,” Mace said.
The policy also specifies the user must clean up the grounds, “of any visible trash and or debris left from the event.”
And, “as a general rule no canopies, tents or temporary structures will be permitted on the grounds, however special permission may be granted with commission approval.”
“I think it looks good. It’s simple enough that people can understand it,” Commissioner Dave Price noted.
