County adopts new public-use policy for county facilities; applications and insurance required

The Finance Committee approved a countywide policy establishing rules and a permit process for public use of county facilities. The policy and an accompanying application form were developed by the county's Risk and Safety Committee over several months and set requirements including commercial-grade liability insurance and indemnification for the county.

County counsel said the policy fills a prior gap: without a standard policy, there were no consistent guidelines for members of the public seeking to use county-owned spaces. The measure passed on a voice vote after members said the policy had been vetted by the Risk and Safety Committee for months.

The new policy requires applicants to submit the permit and proof of insurance and to agree to indemnify the county; the Clerk's office will administer the application process under direction from Risk and Safety and county staff.