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The Windsor Town Council voted 5-0 on Oct. 8 to revise the town’s policy regarding use of the town gazebo located in the Wesley F. Garris Event Park on Duke Street.

Town Manager William Saunders noted that the Gazebo Policy was last updated in 2009, and it recently came to the town staff’s attention that a revision of it was desirable.

He recommended to the mayor and Town Council both in a memo and verbally that the following changes be made to what would now be known as the Gazebo Use Policy:

• Expanding the use of alcohol — and use later than dusk — for certain town-sponsored events;
• Addition of a deadline for application when VDOT-permitted road closures are requested; 
• Removal of the deposit requirement, as only area churches and civic groups are permitted; 
• Addition of language regarding users being responsible for damages; 
• Removal of Town Council approval requirement; and
• Addition of town manager approval authority.

Councilman Marlin W. Sharp said, “Am I to understand that previously, anyone wanting to use the gazebo had to come to Town Council?”

Saunders noted this is the way the policy was written, but he stated that it has not worked that way since he has been here. He indicated that upon becoming aware of this specific language of the policy, town staff wanted to go ahead and update the policy so they are following it properly.

Among the updates made to the policy is the following: Requests to use the gazebo must be submitted 30 days in advance of an event so that adequate time is available for review, and the town manager will have the authority to review and approve requests.

The policy states that the closing of Duke Street for an event will be at the discretion of the Town Council and the Virginia Department of Transportation and that the sponsor organization will submit to the town manager a written request for such street closures. The update to this part of the policy adds that the written request must be submitted 60 days in advance of the event date.

The section of the policy titled “Sale of Food or Beverages” reads as follows: “The sale of food or beverages or any other item shall be limited to the sponsoring organization responsible for the event.”

Councilman David Adams questioned if this meant the sponsoring organization would be unable to bring in vendors like food trucks.

“It says it’s just ‘limited to the sponsoring organization responsible for the event,’” he said. “To me that reads like they’re the only ones that can do anything with food, or maybe I’m misinterpreting that.”

Saunders suggested asking Windsor Town Attorney Fred Taylor for his interpretation of that part of the policy.

Taylor ultimately said, “I think the intent there was you weren’t going to have some competing interest offering food when a sponsored event was going on. I think ultimately that’s what it is, but I think it could probably stand to get cleaned up a little to clarify that you’re not penalizing the group that’s out there…”

Offering insight into why he was focusing on this part of the policy, Adams said, “I want people to be able to make money if they’re doing something in the community, if they can, even if it’s just donations.”

Sharp made the motion to accept Saunders’ recommended policy revisions as presented, and Adams seconded it.

The vote followed, which featured only five votes because Councilman Walter Bernacki was not present for the meeting.