Building Use Guidelines for Members

From the Property Management Committee (PMC) and the Executive Team (ET):

The PMC, the ET, and other committees have put together some information sheets on things such as procedures for use of the kitchen, opening and closing the building, locks and keys, emergency procedures, and other details. Those information sheets can be found in an orange loose-leaf binder in the kitchen. Some of your questions may be answered by consulting that book.

What to do when using space at UUSD

The person who is responsible for the event must either carry out all these activities or assign someone else these duties. It is important that the entire building be secured and clean when your event is over. Professional cleaners come in only twice a month so it is our job to keep the building looking good.

Opening the building

  • Go into the building through the *house* door, entering the code and then press the Unlock button.
  • Unlock the Sanctuary foyer door only if you are using the Sanctuary and/or Foyer. Do the following:
    • Get the Allen wrench in the top drawer of the foyer cabinet (in marked Altoid tin box).
    • Push in the bar on the door, insert the wrench, and turn clockwise 90 degrees. The bar should stay in after you remove the wrench and the door is now unlocked.
    • Return wrench to the drawer in its box.
    • Open fire doors (between Foyer and Gathering Area).
    • Turn on restroom lights, close doors of men’s and women’s rooms, and leave family restroom (single room) door open.
    • Do not open the AV cabinets.

Temperature in building

  • Thermostats in the building are set on programmed schedules and can be remotely controlled. Three thermostats in the sanctuary and one in the foyer are locked.  Contact Property Management (numbers below) to have these settings changed.
  • Thermostats in kitchen and RE area are also programmed, but settings can be changed for comfort:
  • Only change temperature by 2 degrees at a time. Allow the reset to take effect before making further changes.
  • Use ONLY the “up” or “down” keys to make changes. Don’t use any other keys on the thermostat.
  • Allow the thermostat to revert to its program by itself; don’t attempt to “un-do” your change.

Closing up the building

  • If you used tables and chairs, put them back as follows:
    • In the Gathering Area, put one table near the fireplace and another near the double windows.
    • Chairs in the Gathering Area should be stacked around the perimeter of the room.
    • Chairs in the Sanctuary should be replaced using the diagram on the AV closet door. Tape on the carpet indicates where rows start to maximize space.
    • Tables in the RE room should be separated with chairs around them. Stack rest of chairs.
  • All restroom and meeting room doors should be left open.
  • All counters and tables should be cleaned off and wiped down. Cleaning supplies are under the sink. New paper towels are in the women’s restroom closet.
  • If you used dishes, wash and return them to the cupboards or put them in the dishwasher. If the dishwasher is full, put in a soap cube (under the sink) and turn on the machine.
  • If there is debris on the floor, use the broom/dust pan in the kitchen closet and/or the small vacuum in the same closet. A larger vacuum is in the front hall closet.
  • Close the fire doors between the Foyer and the Gathering Area. This is required by fire code.

 Emptying waste baskets

  • If the kitchen trash and recycle bins are full, empty both. Check other trash bins, including restrooms, and empty as needed.
  • Take the bags outside to the west parking lot area (Sanctuary side of building). Put trash in garbage bin in its bag. Empty recycling out of the bag into the recycle bin (yellow lid) and discard the bag in the trash bin.
  • Put clean bags in the trash and recycle bins in the kitchen and any others that you emptied. Bags are in the upper closet to the left of the refrigerator.
  • If the outside bins are full, please take the trash/recycling with you and dispose in your home bins.

Turning out interior lights

  • Check to be sure all lights are out, including in restrooms.
  • Several wall switches that control outside lights are on timers and covered with *caps* to keep the switch on. Do not touch.

Exterior Lights

Exterior lights do not require attention for closing, but for information, the outside lights listed below are on a timer in the equipment room and are on from dusk to 10:30 pm:

  • Parking lot lights
  • Main entrance sconce & ceiling lights
  • West sanctuary entrance sconce light
  • Rear deck canopy lights (between sanctuary & storage shed).

Locking up the Building

  • Even if you think only a couple exterior doors were used, you should check all seven exterior doors.
  • The large RE room and Gathering Area deck doors are locked by lifting the lever and turning the knob counterclockwise.
  • The west sanctuary door (to the parking lot) is locked if the outside door handle does not move. If the handle moves, lock using key #1 found in the cabinet to the right of the fireplace.
  • The rear Sanctuary (by piano) and Foyer hall (by bathrooms) doors can be checked by opening the door and making sure the jam lock (lever in the door) does not move when you engage the door handle. If it does, the door is not locked. Lock the door with key #1 found in the cabinet to the right of the fireplace.
  • Lock the Sanctuary door by unlocking the push bar with the Allen wrench, turning it 90 degrees counter clockwise (the bar should pop back out), and returning the wrench to the cabinet.
  • Lastly, lock the *house* door from the outside by pulling the door tightly closed and then pushing the *closed lock* icon on the dial. Listen for the whirring sound and try the door to make sure it’s locked. If it doesn’t lock using this method, pull the door tighter from the outside and try again. If that fails, put the code in again & push *closed lock* icon.

If a building problem arises that you cannot handle during your event, contact

Other issues and questions that may arise

How Do I Get on Wi-Fi?

The Wi-Fi network is UnitarianWIFI 1 in the east wing (former house) and UnitarianWIFI 2 in the sanctuary and foyer. There is no password. (Since this Wi-Fi network is not password-protected, users should be cautious about personal data on their computers.)

How Do I Work Mikes, Screen, etc., in the Sanctuary?

You don’t. Only those trained to run this equipment can turn it on or off, etc. If you are having an event and will need a technician to run the equipment, contact AVTeam@uussd.org . Please plan ahead and give them sufficient notification!

What Do I Do If There Is a Plumbing Problem?

There are plungers available in the women’s restroom closet, off the sanctuary foyer. If you have a more serious emergency, consult “Emergency Procedures” in the orange binder near the sink, or call Gary Schmidt. Water turn offs are located under each fixture. Main cutoff is in the cellar at the water pump — See Emergency Procedures.

What If The Power Goes Out?

Emergency lighting will go on in the event of a power outage anywhere in the building. There is also a flashlight in the drawer to the right of the stove. There is a circuit breaker box on the south wall (wall nearest the pond) of the gathering area in the east wing for all circuits in that part of the building. Check to see if one or more circuit switches are off and switch it/them back on. If none of them is off or switching them does not work, it is probably a general power outage, and there is nothing further you can do. Lock up and go home! (Electric circuitry for the overall building is complicated so is documented in the “Facility Operations Manual.”)

How Does The Fire Monitoring System Work? What Do I Do If An Alarm Goes Off?

The building has a monitored fire alarm system, as required by the State Fire Marshall. There are smoke and heat detectors and manual alarm pulls throughout the building. Any activation will set off alarms throughout the building and be immediately reported to the monitoring company. Any CLEARLY FALSE ALARM can be reset at the alarm control panel to the right of the main foyer entrance; follow the instructions posted there. Any false alarm MUST be reported to the monitoring company; if you can’t immediately contact a PMTF member, following the procedures posted on the alarm (large red) panel in the equipment room at the rear of the sanctuary. Of course, any alarm not CLEARLY FALSE means that you should safely evacuate the building, allowing emergency response to proceed. There are fire extinguishers at every exit, but don’t endanger yourself or others by attempting to control a situation beyond your experience.

What do I Do If Something In The Kitchen Doesn’t Work, Or I Need To Know How To Operate The Stove, Or Coffee Pot, Etc.?

Most kitchen procedures are outlined in the notes in the orange book on the kitchen counter, but if you need additional information, contact Anne Pikolas of the Kitchen Committee. If a major appliance (stove, refrigerator, etc.) is not working, contact a member of the PMC (see below), and they will arrange for service.

Who Is In Charge Of Keeping The Grounds Maintained?

This is an area where there is a great need! so if you are willing to join a Landscape Management Committee to oversee upkeep, solicit volunteers to do weeding, raking, picking up, etc., please contact the PMC (see below).

Property Management Committee Contact Information

Email Gary Schmidt at PropMgmt@uussd.org