Selma board adopts code-of-conduct posting and approves refund policy and request form

The Town of Selma Summer Recreation Advisory Board voted Dec. 17 to adopt a 13-point code of conduct for youth recreation events and to post the rules at facilities and include them as an acknowledgment checkbox in the RecDesk registration process rather than requiring a signed paper form.

Board members said the approach — posting the rules at facilities, linking them on the town website and requiring registrants to acknowledge them in RecDesk — makes enforcement practical without requiring a physical signature from every adult present at events. "When you sign your kid up, you're obligating everyone in your household to follow this code of conduct," a board member said. Members also recommended printing and displaying the rules at facility entrances or on sandwich boards so visiting families from other towns see the expectations.

The board approved the 13 rules with a minor wording change to one item that assigns responsibility for interacting with officials to a designated coach or designee. The board also directed staff to put the code of conduct on RecDesk as a checkbox acknowledgment and to produce facility signage.

In related business, the board approved a revised refund policy and an online refund-request form. The policy clarifies timelines for refunds, states that refunds will be issued to the person or account that paid at registration, and instructs parents to submit refund requests via the online form; staff will evaluate certain requests on a case-by-case basis. Board members asked staff to add a drop-down reason field with an 'other' option on the online form to reduce incomplete submissions and to offer internal account credit or check refund options depending on the payment method.

Board discussion also addressed operational details: staff will perform refunds through RecDesk following approval, and the refund request form will include guidance on deadlines (for example, the two-practice deadline noted elsewhere in registration rules) so staff do not process requests for completed programs. The board approved the form and associated policy on a voice vote.

Why it matters: the decisions set the town's approach to conduct enforcement and refund administration for recreational programs. Posting conduct rules and tying acknowledgment to RecDesk should make expectations clearer for all attendees and streamline enforcement. The refund policy clarifies who receives refunds and how requests are processed, reducing staff time spent on incomplete or late applications.