Humboldt County Municipal Code Ch. 2 Regulation of the Use

Sections: Use. No Admission Fees. Use by Political Parties. Application for Use. Priority of Uses. Access to Basement Restricted. Extended Workday. Penalty. 262-1. Use. (a) The Courthouse shall be open to the public from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, holidays excepted. The Superior Court rooms shall be under the supervision and control of the Court Executive Officer. The Supervisors’ Chamber, together with any other such meeting places in the Humboldt County Courthouse not regularly habituated by one or more County employees, shall be under the supervision and control of the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors. Except as provided herein, they shall be used solely for the transaction of public business. If not required for such use by the Board or the Courts, the Court Executive Officer or the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors may permit their use by agencies of the Federal, State, County, City or District Governments for the transaction of public business, and by groups, societies or organizations for public, literary, scientific, recreational or educational meetings, or for the discussion of matters of general or public interest to the citizens of the County, other than for religious or social purposes. (Ord. 2351, § 4, 12/6/2005) (b) A portion of the Courthouse, consisting of the lobby, the Supervisors’ Chamber, Conference Room A and Conference Room B, shall be open to the public from 5:30 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday nights and other hours when approved by the County Administrative Officer for meetings of committees, boards and organizations, and public attendance thereon, which apply for and are granted permission to use such portion of the Courthouse pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. (Ord. 2156, 1/27/1998; Ord. 2351, § 4, 12/6/2005) (c) County employees may be admitted to the Courthouse nights and weekends for duty purposes. Attorneys may be admitted to the Courthouse nights and weekends to use the County Law Library. In order to be admitted to the Courthouse, County employees and attorneys shall make application for admission to the Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office may satisfy itself that the application is bona fide and may provide for the admission of the applicant. The Sheriff’s Department may admit the representative of the news media to trials being conducted in the Courthouse during periods the Courthouse is closed to the general public. (d) The ground floor entrance to the Courthouse, including the corridor to the lobby of the Sheriff’s Department, is open to the public at all times to provide access to the general public to transact business with the Sheriff’s Department. Access for the public to transact business at the County Jail will be provided by a route designated by the Sheriff, and at all such times as may be designated by the Sheriff. (Ord. 1529, § 1, 5/11/1982; Ord. 1594, § 1, 5/ 24/1983; Ord. 1866, § 1, 6/6/1989) 262-2. No Admission Fees. No person or group granted use of Courthouse meeting places shall charge any admission fee or solicit any offering or collection, or use said meeting places for any profit-making or commercial purposes, except as otherwise provided in this section. The Board of Supervisors may permit such use by organizations, clubs, or associations organized for cultural activities or general character building or welfare purposes, so long as all proceedings from such use are used solely for the support of the organization, club or association and support of the operations of a tax supported public agency. (Ord. 1171, § 1, 10/11/1977) 262-3. Use by Political Parties. Subject to the provisions of § 262-1, any qualified County Central Committee may hold one regular meeting in the Courthouse in a room authorized for such use by the County Administrative Officer and the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors. No political party shall be allowed use of Courthouse facilities for strictly partisan political purposes other than allowed by this section. (Ord. 691, § 3, 8/26/1969; Ord. 1515, § 2, 3/16/1982; Ord. 1866, § 2, 6/6/1989; Ord. 2351, § 4, 12/6/2005) 262-4. Application for Use. (a) Application for the use of meeting places in the Courthouse shall be made to the County Administrative Officer or the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors in such manner as may be prescribed by them. The County Administrative Officer and the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors shall give preference to use pursuant to priorities in § 262-5 of this chapter. (Ord. 2351, § 4, 12/6/2005) (b) Permission to use the County Courthouse as provided in this chapter shall be evidenced by a written permit signed by the County Administrative Officer or the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors and showing the name of the organization granted such permit and the date and times when use of the Courthouse by such organizations is permitted. (Ord. 2351, § 4, 12/6/2005) (c) Any permission granted for use of Courthouse meeting places may be canceled or rejected by the County Administrative Officer or the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors when necessary for the protection of County property, the preservation of order or other sufficient reason. (Ord. 691, § 4, 8/26/1969; Ord. 1515, § 3, 3/16/1982; Ord. 1866, § 3, 6/6/1989; Ord. 2351, § 4, 12/6/2005) 262-5. Priority of Uses. The following lists or priorities shall be used by the County Administrative Officer and the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors in determining assignment of meeting places: (Ord. 2351, § 4, 12/06/2005) (a) Board of Supervisors. (b) Any commission, committee or other advisory group appointed by the Board of Supervisors. (c) The governing body of any Federal, State, City or District entity, or any commission, committee or other advisory group appointed by any governmental entity. (d) Any department of the County or any County employees’ association. (e) The Central Committee of any recognized political party. (Ord. 2351, § 4, 12/6/2005) (f) Any organization conducting meetings or conferences for public, literary, scientific, recreational or educational purposes, or for the discussion of matters of general or public interest to the citizens of the County. (g) Any nongovernmental group for formational purposes only, except as provided for County Central Committees in subsection (e) hereof. (Ord. 691, § 5, 8/26/1969; Ord. 1515, § 4, 3/16/1982; Ord. 1866, § 4, 6/6/1989)

262-6. Access to Basement Restricted. Access to the Courthouse basement shall be restricted. The freight gate, walk through gate and access door shall be closed and locked at all times, and access to the parking areas in the basement pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 1 of Division 6 of Title II hereof, to maintenance personnel authorized by the Sheriff, and to other individuals authorized by the Sheriff on a case-by-case basis on the recommendation of any department head who has materials stored in the basement, for access to such stored materials. (Ord. 2351, § 4, 12/06/2005) The Sheriff or his/her designee with the concurrence of the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, or his/her designee, may close the basement at any time, without notice, for security reasons and purposes. Such closure shall be reviewed by the Board of Supervisors, at that meeting, may authorize the continuance of the closure or may require that the access authorized by the above paragraph of this section shall prevail. The basement offices housing the Emergency Services Communication Center and the ramp area adjacent thereto shall be accessible to all County employees and to the general public during normal business hours, except during emergencies or training exercises therefor, when such area shall be under the supervision and control of the Emergency Services Coordinator. (Ord. 1529, § 2, 5/11/1982; Ord. 1594, § 2, 5/24/1983) 262-7. Extended Workday. Nothing in this chapter shall prevent or prohibit any County officer or employee who was in the Courthouse during regular working hours from remaining in the Courthouse after 5:30 p.m. on a regular work day for the purpose of performing his or her duties. Access to the Courthouse after 5:30 p.m. on those occasions which are not covered by the preceding sentence shall be as provided in § 262-1(c) of this chapter. (Ord. 1677, § 3, 2/26/1985) 262-8. Penalty. (a) It shall be unlawful and a misdemeanor for any person to be in any portion of the Courthouse in violation of this chapter. (b) Every person convicted of such a misdemeanor shall be punished upon a first conviction by a fine not exceeding Fifty Dollars ($50.00) or by imprisonment in the County Jail for not exceeding five (5) days; for a second conviction within a period of one (1) year by a fine of not One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) or by imprisonment in the County Jail for not exceeding ten (10) days, or by both such fine and imprisonment; and for a third or any subsequent conviction within a period of one (1) year by a fine of not exceeding Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or by imprisonment in the County Jail for not exceeding six (6) months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. (Ord. 1515, § 6, 3/16/1982)