Meeting Room Guidelines
2 South Main Meeting Room Guidelines
The 2 South Main Meeting Room space in Lexington’s old courthouse building is being offered as a resource to the Lexington / Rockbridge community by Rockbridge Partners, LLC, the property owner and Washington and Lee University, the tenant. Scheduling is managed by a staff member (meeting room manager) of Washington & Lee University. Permission granted to meet in the meeting room in no way constitutes endorsement by the property owner or tenant of the policies or beliefs of any group or organization.
The property owner and/or meeting room manager reserves the right to review each prospective use and determine whether that use falls within the meeting room guidelines. Use of the premises may be prohibited or terminated at any time if the conduct of the group interferes with tenant’s staff work, is disruptive to tenants, or is abusive or dangerous to the building, materials, furnishings, or individuals in the building.
Space Usage
Use of 2 South Main Meeting Room is limited to the following groups:
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Washington and Lee University
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Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors
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Lexington City Council
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Other public groups, governmental agency meetings, or hearings
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Meetings held by Not-for Profit organizations
Meetings may not include any components to market products or generate profits for the group or any
individual associated with the group.
Priorities
Priority will be given to: Washington and Lee University events and Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors. Other government entities and public groups will be given consideration on a first-come/first-served basis. The property owner and/or tenant reserve the right to preempt any event for an emergency event. In such rare instances, the property owner and/or tenant will make every reasonable effort to give ample notice and to assist the group in reserving another date.
General
The first floor meeting room in the old courthouse is available 5:00 PM to 10:30 PM Monday through Friday, one night per week. Reservations cannot be made more than 60 days in advance and is subject to cancellation should the room be needed by the Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors.
Groups and individuals who use the meeting room are guests of the property owner and the tenant, and their use of the space should reflect that understanding. Areas designated as staff lounges / kitchen are for the use of the tenant’s staff only. Activities for minors must be supervised by responsible adults. No smoking is permitted on courthouse property or within 50 feet of any public entrance. No person may be denied access to a meeting for which no admission is charged, or where admission is not limited to membership, so long as that person complies with the owner’s/tenant’s standards of behavior. Authorization for meeting room use is limited to the furniture and equipment assigned to that room.
User Responsibilities
An authorized representative of the group reserving the meeting room must remain on the premises throughout the period for which it is reserved, or until the meeting ends. The meeting room must be restored to its original clean condition. Users of the meeting room agree to pay for any damages to courthouse property, including but not limited to walls, floors, ceilings, lighting, furniture, and projection equipment.
Additional furniture not used for an event shall not be moved outside of the meeting room. In addition, the Coke machine located outside of the meeting room shall not be moved for any reason in order to remain within Fire Code.
Prohibited Activities
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Drugs, alcohol and the use of tobacco products.
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Disruptive behavior.
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Activities that impede the function of the courthouse tenants.
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The use of any equipment that interferes with business operations or which creates any losses or liabilities for the property owner.
Reservations
To reserve a meeting room, a fully completed and signed Reservation Form must be submitted for approval at least two weeks in advance of the event. Reservation Forms and Meeting Room Guidelines may be picked up at the old courthouse during business hours (M – F, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm). The reservation forms and guidelines are also found on the Treasurer’s Office web site. Use of the 2 South Main Meeting Room is limited to the type of meeting or activity stated on the reservation form.
Meeting room reservations requested by Not-for-Profit organizations must include a copy of the 501c3 certificate. This requirement may be waived by the meeting room manager in the case of small not-for-profit organizations and special interest community groups. The certificate copy will be kept on file by the meeting room manager for subsequent meeting room requests.
The meeting room may not be used by individuals or businesses whose purpose is for-profit regardless of when that profit may occur.
Right to Cancel
Washington and Lee University, the tenant, and its events shall have priority. If a reservation has been confirmed with an outside party and tenant requires the use of the room, the outside party shall be given a 48 hour notice of cancellation. Either party may cancel this Agreement with written notice to the other, without liability as a result of acts of God over which neither party has control, government regulation, terrorism, disaster, strikes, civil disorders, or any other factors over which neither party has control, making it impossible or illegal to conduct the program consistent with those conditions that existed at the time the contract was entered into. The parties may, however, agree to go forward on such terms and conditions that may be re-negotiated.
Room Configuration & Seating
The room is equipped with 48 stackable chairs, 30 folding chairs and 16 tables on casters. Table dimensions are 60” w x 30” d x 28.5” h. Maximum group size is 100. See suggested room layouts.
Groups meeting in the meeting room that require a different arrangement and/or additional seating may reconfigure the room and/or bring in additional chairs to accommodate their needs, with the understanding that the room is to be returned to its original set-up. Re-arranging the meeting room and providing additional seating is the sole responsibility of the scheduled group, and must be requested and approved in advance of the actual meeting/event. Any remaining furniture shall remain in room and not be set outside of the meeting room.
Food and Beverage
Refreshments served in the meeting room should be limited to those items easily disposed of, e.g., light snacks, box lunches. All refreshments should be consumed inside the meeting room, and trash placed in the appropriate receptacles.
Parking
There is no designated parking for the old courthouse. Public parking is available on city streets and at the Rockbridge County Courthouse parking garage accessed off of Washington Street. City parking regulations apply.
Audiovisual Equipment
The following AV equipment is available for use in the meeting room:
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automatic projector screen (wall switch located right behind the lectern)
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installed projector with a 16 x 9 wide angle aspect ratio (will match up with standard laptop aspect ratio)
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laptop connection with audio and network
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DVD player located in cabinet
You will be able to walk in with your own laptop, connect to the system via a retractable VGA cable, press a power button located on a small panel on the lectern and begin presenting. The screen will lower automatically and the projector will light.
If a group wishes to bring AV or electronic equipment in from another source, it must be approved in advance of the meeting/event. This is a very basic “plug and play” system. Technical support and user training are not provided. W&L provides repair support only during regular business hours.
Use of Copyrighted Works and Public Performance Licensing
Groups/individuals planning to view a film, video, or other copyrighted work must indicate so on the Room Reservation Form and provide written proof that public performance licensing or other copyright clearance has been obtained prior to the reservation being confirmed. Failure to obtain public performance licensing is a violation of copyright law and the sole responsibility of the group/individual making the reservation.
W&L groups are governed by Washington and Lee University’s Policy for the Use of Copyrighted Works, Section IV. Guidelines for the Use of Films and Video.
Access and Public Safety
To access the 2 South Main Meeting Room at any time of day, please enter and exit at the back of the old courthouse building through the courtyard on Lawyer’s Row. This is the only entrance that will be accessible after 5:00 PM. W&L’s Public Safety Department will monitor the room’s scheduled use and keep this door open as needed for groups meeting after regular business hours.
The “Emergency Exit” located at the front of the meeting room is for emergencies only. An alarm will be activated if the door is used.
Restrooms are available for use just outside the meeting room. Access to other parts of the building is not permitted during non-business hours.
Please contact the W&L Public Safety Department at 540-458-8999 or 8400 for assistance.
Publicity
Each group is responsible for its own publicity. Any printed publicity must include the statement: "This program is not sponsored by the property owner or current tenant." Publicity is not to include the courthouse’s telephone number, nor may the courthouse’s name and address be used as a mailing address.
Petition and Signing
Organizations or individuals gathering petition signatures may not block the public right-of-way, interfere with the conduct of business, or create litter problems.
Signs produced for directional purposes must be submitted to the meeting room manager and posted by the meeting room manager. Materials may not be attached to walls, windows, doors or furnishings. Unauthorized signs will be removed without notice.
Indemnification
Organizations or individuals using the meeting room shall indemnify and hold harmless the property owner and its tenants from and against all losses, damages, claims, costs and expenses arising from injury or death of any person(s), or damage to property resulting from any act or omission of such users or their employees, agents, representatives, guests, invitees, or the general public to the extent that such losses, damages, claims, costs and expenses arise in connection with or relate to the organization’s or individual’s use of the facility.
Damages
Organizations or individuals using the meeting room shall be liable for all damages, expense and loss, including theft and property loss, caused by any person who attends, participates in, or provides goods and services connected with the organization’s or individual’s use of the facility and all tangible property. Replacement value may be used by the property owner and/or tenant to determine the damage cost charged.
Liability
The property owner and tenant assume no responsibility for lost or stolen items or damage to parked vehicles.
Revocation and Refusal of Authorization for Use
Use of the 2 South Main Meeting Room may be prohibited or terminated at any time if the activity or conduct planned or occurring in the facility is or is deemed to be disruptive, or interferes with tenant use of the courthouse facilities for business purposes or is disruptive or interferes with tenant’s staff. The privilegeof using the meeting room will not be granted or will be revoked if the activities or intended activities of the meeting room users negatively impact normal operations in the following ways:
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The meeting is conducted in a noisy, disorderly or inflammatory manner.
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The size of the meeting presents personal safety or building security issues, or creates an undue parking demand on the surrounding neighborhood.
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The activities of meeting room users disrupt or will be disruptive to other courthouse tenants use of courthouse facilities or distract or will be distractive for tenant’s staff from the performance of their duties.
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The meeting room users neglect to pay for any damage to the meeting room.
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The meeting room users neglect to leave the room in the condition in which it was found.
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There is any violation of property owner’s policy.
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A group fails to show for a scheduled meeting without prior notification.