Hampden Endorses Building‑use Policy for New Town Hall; fees and insurance provisions included

The Hampden select board voted Nov. 24 to endorse a draft building‑use and rental policy for the new town hall aimed at standardizing reservations and recovering event costs when appropriate.

Staff presented a policy that gives priority to municipal boards and committees, requires an application to reserve space (up to six months in advance), and establishes differentiated user fees for spaces such as the cafetorium, large meeting room and smaller meeting rooms. The policy proposes that resident individuals and Hampden‑based nonprofits and businesses receive priority or reduced fees because their taxes fund the facility; outside groups or events that charge admission would be subject to a user fee that could be recouped through ticket revenue.

The draft also includes a frequent‑user fee and a custodial fee (proposed trigger: events over 100 attendees, adjustable by the board), a security deposit requirement for larger events (over 50 attendees) and an insurance requirement for events with significant attendance. The board discussed thresholds for larger events and said the select board would retain discretion to waive deposits or adjust fees. Board members asked that the application and policy be posted online and that staff could handle routine, low‑impact requests while reserving larger or multi‑day bookings for board review.

The board moved to endorse the building‑use application/policy and voted in favor. Members said the policy can be adjusted over time as the town gains experience with bookings.