Narberth committee debates facility rental rules: holidays, fees, insurance and kitchen use

The committee spent an extended period reviewing borough facility rental policies, covering holiday closures, fee waivers for nonprofits, certificates of insurance (COI), event timing and kitchen access. Staff reported a recent Thanksgiving reservation request prompted the review and said the borough has informally not opened its municipal facilities on major holidays; staff proposed a formal list of holidays to be included in code.

"We've decided that it is not in the borough's best interest to open its facilities on major holidays," staff said, and proposed codifying a list that includes New Year’s Eve/Day, Easter, July 4, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Committee members weighed whether the current "free and open to the public" exemption for nonprofits should allow suggested donations or apply only to borough‑affiliated organizations. Staff recommended requiring COIs from all users to reduce borough liability, noting recurring users (the business association, Civic Association, and national chapters such as Girls on the Run) typically maintain annual policies. Committee asked staff to gather pricing for single‑day COIs and to survey exempt/recurring users before making a final policy change.

Members also discussed event timing and cleanup burdens on housemen, considering deposits that cover a standard cleanup period and potential hourly overage charges rather than banning food events outright. On kitchen access, staff said New Horizons holds health‑department certificates and stores items in locked cabinets; the current rental policy does not define kitchen use. Committee agreed that clarifying rules (leave kitchen as found; limited appliance use) would be useful and asked staff to return with a draft policy and a cost analysis in the next month.