(A) Designation and approval of volunteers.
(1) All individuals who donate their services to the town, usually on a part-time basis, for public service, religious or humanitarian objectives, and without expectation to pay beyond the nominal stipend or reimbursement of expenses set forth herein, are to be considered volunteers of the town rather than employees or independent contractors for taxation and other legal purposes.
(2) The Town Council hereby designates all members of any boards, commissions or committees of the town, including, but not limited to, the following positions, as "volunteer positions" for the town:
(a) Park Board members;
(b) Stormwater Board members;
(c) Plan Commission members;
(d) Board of Zoning Appeals members.
(3) All persons holding such positions shall be considered "rostered volunteers" approved by the Town Council pursuant to I.C. 22-3-2-2.1 or any other applicable law concerning volunteers without any further action. However, if the town's workers' compensation or liability insurance providers require a specific form of "roster of volunteers" distinct from this section, the Town Manager shall cause such a roster to be created and provided to the insurance provider and shall update the roster from time to time.
(4) Additionally, the Town Manager, the Park Board and the Stormwater Board are hereby authorized to accept volunteers as needed for various projects, programs and festivals initiated by the town, including, but not limited to, park cleanup days, Christmas celebrations, Halloween celebrations, Fourth of July celebrations and other similar activities. It shall be the responsibility of the Town Manager to create a roster of volunteers for each such project, celebration, or activity. Unless a different form is required by the town's insurance providers, the Town Manager shall use the form attached to Ord. 2021-09 as Exhibit "A" as the roster of volunteers for such project, celebration, or activity.
(B) Stipends and expense reimbursement.
(1) Members of the various ongoing boards, commissions and committees shall be entitled to a stipend and expense reimbursement as established in the order or resolution creating such board, commission, or committee. However, no member of a board, commission, or committee shall be paid a stipend of more than $50 per month. Members shall only be entitled to stipends for months during which they attend meetings or perform other services on behalf of the board, commission, or committee upon which they sit. All expenses must be approved by the board, commission, or committee upon which the member sits, and the member must provide a receipt or other documented proof of the expense to the Clerk-Treasurer prior to payment of the reimbursement.
(2) No volunteer for any single program, activity or celebration shall be entitled to a stipend unless there is a specific resolution passed by the Town Council allowing for the payment of the stipend. However, the Town Manager, or other board, commission, or committee that organizes the volunteer event may provide food, certificates of appreciation, or other non-monetary gifts to such volunteers as a means of appreciation, provided that such gifts do not exceed the value of $50 per volunteer and provided that such expenditure is properly appropriated from an appropriate fund.
(3) Volunteers for periodic activities, programs or celebrations may also be reimbursed for incurred expenses but only if those expenses are pre-approved by an authorized purchasing agent of the town and provided that documentation of the expense if provided prior to repayment.
(C) Supervision and indemnity.
(1) All temporary volunteers shall be supervised by a town officer or employee during all volunteer activities.
(2) The town shall indemnify its volunteers from any liability for conduct arising within the scope of the volunteer's volunteer activity for the town, unless the conduct in question was criminal, reckless, or grossly negligent.
(D) Volunteer acknowledgement form. All volunteers for the town shall execute a Volunteer Acknowledgement Form (attached to Ord. 2021-09 as Exhibit "B").
(Ord. 2012-5, passed 2-28-2012; Ord. 2021-09, passed - -2021)