VIENNA — After several months of discussion, Vienna aldermen voted to adopt a new policy for the city’s horse arena at the Jan. 8 city meeting.

Talk of a new policy began last September following observations of improper use by people leasing the horse arena from the city. Anecdotes shared during city meetings included locks being cut or left unlocked, lights left on overnight, animals left there unsupervised overnight and trash left around the area. At last October and last November’s city meetings, the aldermen discussed several points they wanted the policy to contain to address those problems.

City Attorney Ross Bush presented the aldermen with a draft of the agreement for a vote. He said he expects that the new agreement will accomplish the city’s goals.

“I hope this helps,” North Ward Alderman Rita Juergens said.

The agreement that horse arena renters will sign includes eight points.

The first establishes the agreement between the city of Vienna and the renter. The second has blanks to decide the length of the agreement and the specific dates. At a previous meeting, the aldermen decided that arena rentals would not exceed seven days.

The third point says that the city of Vienna will provide a key or keys to the renter to access the arena and electrical box on or before the beginning date of the rental. The point provides a space for the key numbers. It also states that the renter will have sole access to the use of the arena during the rental period with an exception for city employees.

The fourth point sets access to the horse arena on a day-by-day basis. It also requires a $150 deposit at the time of signing the agreement. Aldermen settled on the value because it is the same amount that coaches pay for access to the ballfield. The deposit covers possession and use of the keys. Renters will receive the deposit after the return of the key or keys and an evaluation of the arena. Renters agree to reimburse the city for damage to the arena.

The fifth point requires renters to ensure that lights are off and the horse arena gates are locked whenever the renter is not at the arena. Failure to turn off the lights or lock the arena may result in forfeiture of the deposit. The sixth point establishes a potential forfeiture of the deposit if the renter leaves livestock unattended at the arena. It could also result in the city billing the renter for the cost of livestock removal and storage.

The seventh point is that the renter agrees to hold the city harmless from claims made against the renter during the rental period. The last point establishes the forfeiture of the deposit and billing of the renter for a lock and key replacement if the key is not returned by the expiration of the rental.