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HomeMy WebLinkAbout93-09 - Res. Establishing Gender Equity Policy for Community Athletics Programs Using Parks and TrailsRESOLUTTON No. %.q A RESoLUTIoN ESTABLISHING A GENDEn nqr¡nv Éot.rcy FoR coMMUNrry ATHLETICS PROGRAMS FOR MASON COUNTY AND THIRD PARTY ORGANIZATIONS USING MASON COUNTY PARKS AND TRAILS DEPARTMENT FACILITIES. WHEREAS, Chapter 67.20.U0 RCW, provides the authority for Counties to own and operate recreational facilities for public use, and to set forth the regulations, policies, and practices governing such use, and WHEREAS, Mason County Parks and Trails Department owns and operates County Parks for the enjoyment and use of its residents and visitors, and WHEREAS, County Parks receive high levels of use from third party organizations sponsoring community athletic programs, primarily at MCRA and Sandhill Park, and WHEREAS, the Washington State Legislature passed ESSB 5967 during the 2009 Legislative session prohibiting discrimination against any person in a community athletics program on the basis ofsex, and WHEREAS, Mason County Parks and Trails Department is complying with the legislation that requires a Gender Equity Policy to be adopted by January I,2010, and NO'W, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of County Commissioners of Mason County does hereby establish a "Gender Equity Policy'' as set forth in Exhibit A, pertaining to the use of Mason County Parks, Trails, and facilities; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Parks and Trails Department, or such department or organizatíon designated by the County with the responsibility for operating and maintaining park facilities at some point in the future, shall be authorized to develop and administer any processes and procedures necessary to implement the gender equity policy, as set forth in Exhibit A or subsequently amended. Signed this 3rd day of November 2009. BOARD OF MASON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Gs4 a Ring Eri H :\Resolutions\Gender Equity Policy.doc Tim Sheldon, Chairperson ATTEST: C: Parks and Trails Deparhnent Shannon Goudy, Clcrk d H : \Resolutions\Gender Equity Poliry.doc MASON COUNTY PARKS AND TRAILS GENDER EOUITY POLICY Bacþround: The purpose of the Mason County Parks and Trails Department Non-Discrimination Policy is to help insure that the department's and third party sponsored athletics/sports programs and the department's facilities that support athletic/sports programs, provide equal opportunity and access for both boys and girls, and \ryomen and men. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal statute created to prohibit sex discrimination in education programs that receive federal financial assistance. Nearly every educational institution is a recipient of federal funds, and therefore is required to comply with Title IX. Ln1975, Washington adopted its own Title IX legislation in RCW 28A.640.010, which prohibits inequality in the educational opportunities afforded women and girls at all levels of public schools in Washington State. Currently, Washington law does not extend the protection of Title IX to opportunities in community athletic programs. During the 2009 Legislative Session, ESSB 5967 was passed. This Bill states that no city, town, county, or district may discriminate against any person in a community athletics program on the basis of sex. "Community athletics program" means any athletic program that is organized for the purposes of training for and engaging in athletic activity and competition that is in any way operated, conducted, administered, or supported by local governments and districts, other than those created solely for the students of a school. A third party receiving a lease or permit for a community athletics program from one of these entities or from a school district also may not discriminate against any person on the basis of sex in the operation, conduct, or administration of the program. The nondiscrimination policy must be adopted by January 1,2010, and must be published and disseminated. At a minimum, it should be included in any publication that contains information about the program or information about obtaining a permit to operate a program. The policy must also be published on the appropriate entity's website. School districts issuing permission to a third party for the operation of a community athletics program on its facilities must also follow these requirements, but may use and modify existing school policies to the extent possible. School districts are not required to monitor compliance, investigate complaints, or otherwise enforce school district policies as to third parties using school district facilities. Every entity covered by this act must publish the name, office address, and office telephone number of any employee responsible for carrying out compliance with this act. 1.0 Policy It is the policy of Mason County Parks and Trails Department that the County, nor third party groups using County facilities shall disuiminate against any person on the basis of sex in the operation, conduct, or administration of community athletics programs for youth or adults. 2,0 Policy Publication and Dissemination A variety of media will be used to publish and disseminate Mason County's Gender Equity Policy. This media shall include the Mason County Web Site, in addition to correspondence sent to third party users of the County Facilities and rental forms and literature provided to third party users. The media to be employed will be the following: 2.1 Publications related to the departments and third party sponsored community athletic/sports facilities (policy reference) 2.2 Applications for scheduled facility use (policy included) 2.3 Mason County Parks and Trails Web Site (policy included) 2.4 Information flyers, notices, advertisements (policy reference) 3.0 Policy Administration Mason County Parks and Trails Department will administer the Mason County Gender Equity Non Discrimination Policy for all Mason County Athletic Facilities to discourage discriminate against any person on the basis of sex in the operation, conduct, or administration of community athletics programs for youth or adults. 4.3 Responsible Official The person responsible for this policy shall be the Mason County Parks and Trails Department Director, or his / her designee. Mason County Parks and Trails Department Director 4II -North 5th Street East 2100 Johns Prairie Road Shelton, WA 98584 360-427-9670 #669 or #535 4.1 fmplementation This policy will become effective on January 1,2010 and will remain in effect thereafter. Mason County Parks and Trails Department Staff will be responsible for communicating this policy to all community athletic organizations utilizing county athletic facil itie s. Dated Adopted: Signed: