Adopted by the Board of Supervisors on September 28, 2017

Johnson County buildings are reserved for County government business. This includes lobby areas, meeting rooms, and parking lots. County buildings are available for use by political party caucuses. Building intended for public recreational uses may have guidelines that are not addressed in this policy.

The Board of Supervisors requires employees/groups using County buildings for meeting/events to follow these guidelines:

Allowable uses and reservation priority determination (priorities listed in rank order below)

  1. Official County boards, commissions, and office County functions (e.g. elections, tax sales) have priority for the use of meeting rooms. The assigned County staff liaison to a board or commission may schedule a recurring reservation in a meeting room calendar for a group with a standing meeting time.
     
  2. Departments/Offices, including state offices housed in County buildings, and internal County committees may reserve meeting rooms for purposes related to their internal business (e.g. staff meetings, client consultations).
     
  3. Non-County groups may reserve meeting rooms for County-related meetings if a County employee or elected official is a part of the group and is willing to be responsible for scheduling the meeting, providing oversight of the meeting room, and securing the building. Refer to reservation requirements for required approval process.
     
  4. Federal, state, and local government officials may send a request to the Board Office to reserve meeting rooms for official, non-partisan purposes that are open to the public. Refer to reservation requirements for required approval process.
     
  5. County property cannot be used for religious or political purposes; however political parties may coordinate with the County Auditor's Office to schedule party caucuses on County property. Refer to reservation requirements for required approval process.

Reservation requirements

  1. Requesting employees must be authorized by their elected official/department head to make reservations.
     
  2. Room reservations for non-County groups; federal, state, and local government officials, and political parties caucuses must be pre-approved by the Board of Supervisors. At least two-week's notice should be given to Board Office Executive Director prior to requested meeting/event date to allow for Board Consideration.
     
  3. Requests to use lobby areas, grounds, and parking lots by non-County groups; federal, state, and local government officials; and political party caucuses must be pre-approved by the Board of Supervisors. At least two-week's notice should be given to the Board Office Executive Director prior to the request meeting/event date to allow for Board consideration.
     
  4. Request to reserve multiple rooms for multiple weeks must be pre-approved by the Board of Supervisors. At least two-week's notice should be given to the Board Office Executive Director prior to the requested meeting/event date to allow for Board consideration.
     
  5. County buildings are open during the hours listed below, Monday - Friday, excluding County holidays. Usage outside of normal business hours is discouraged.
    • Administration Buildings
      913 South Dubuque Street, Iowa City 52240
      7:30 AM - 6:00 PM
       
    • Ambulance Service & Medical Examiner Building
      808 South Dubuque Street, Iowa City 52240
      7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
       
    • Conservation Headquarters & Education Center
      2048 Highway 6 NW, Oxford 52322
      8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
       
    • Health and Human Service Building
      855 South Dubuque Street, Iowa City 52240
      7:30 AM - 6:00 PM
       
    • Johnson County Courthouse
      417 South Clinton Street, Iowa City, 52240
      8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
       
    • SEATS/Secondary Road Campus
      4810 Melrose Avenue West, Iowa City 52246
      7:30 AM - 4:00 PM
       
  6. Reservations must be made using the Microsoft Outlook room reservation calendar created for each conference room on a first-come, first-serve basis, subject to the priorities above. The last name and department of the person making the reservation must be listed on the calendar. Reservations that do not list contact information may be removed without notice.
     
  7. A Physical Plant Work Order must be submitted 48 hours in advance, in the even of one of the following circumstances:
    • When the meeting/event time is outside of normal business hours for the building
    • When the group will be using lobby areas and/or parking lots
    • When 30 or more people are anticipated at the meeting/event
    • When special requests are associated with the reservation, e.g., room set-up, composting
       
  8. Groups using County buildings are expected to return the areas to a clean and orderly condition before they depart.