The Mills House and the Schoolhouse are available to rent for your meeting or function. Please call Gloria Greis, Executive Director (781-455-8860), to discuss your plans and scheduling (see "Scheduling" and "Parking," below). The house can accomodate the following:

* Meetings (seated) - up to 50 people
* Dinners (seated) - up to 50 people
* Receptions (stand-up, "cocktail party" format) - c. 125 people (slightly larger for an "open house," where not all guests are present at the same time)

1. RATES
All rates are for an event lasting up to 4 hours, including set-up and clean-up time. Please call 781-455-8860 for more information.

* Business meetings – $50
* Small receptions – $100 (social event, 15-20 people, light refreshments; no beer or wine)
* Social events and parties – $250 (20+ guests, food and drink, possibly catered;
Events serving wine and beer are subject to additional charges and
requirements (see “Special Conditions,” below)
* Commercial (for-profit) - $500 (Alcoholic beverages may not be served at for-profit events)

Each additional hour, over four hours – $35
Members – 25% Discount
Needham Public Schools, Municipal Boards and Committees – No Charge

Additional Charges if required (cannot be discounted):
$25 - One-day event liquor license (wine and beer only; alcoholic beverages cannot be permitted during regular school hours – see “Special Conditions,” below)
$120 - Cleaning service (if needed); includes removal of trash if not done by the renter

Available for use (no additional charge)
10 rectangular tables, 6 feet long; 4 card tables, 3 feet square; 50 chairs

2. SCHEDULING
Dates must be scheduled with the Needham Historical Society at least four weeks in advance (at least six weeks if beer and wine is to be served at the event). Please call Gloria Greis, Executive Director, at 781-455-8860 or email g.greis@rcn.com.

3. PARKING
Parking for events is in the main lot of the Newman School. The fire lanes near the school entrance and along our driveway may not be used.

* Because we make use of the Newman School parking lot, we must first confirm with the School and the Public Facilities Dept. that your date has not been reserved for another event before your event can be scheduled.

* For the same reason, only small events (no more than 15 cars) can be scheduled during school hours.

4. SPECIAL CONDITIONS Required for Serving Beer and Wine at Events
You may serve wine and beer at your event, subject to the licensing and insurance conditions, below. Please note –
* You may serve wine and beer only; other liquor is not permitted.
* You may not serve any alcoholic beverages during daytime school hours
* You MUST obtain host liquor-liability insurance, naming the Needham Historical Society and the Town of Needham as insured for the event (see “Insurance,” below).

License
In order to serve alcoholic beverages, you might be required to obtain a one-day special license from the Board of Selectmen. The license costs $25. Please call Sandy Cincotta in the Needham Town Manager’s Office (781-455-7512) for information about licensing requirements and procedures. This process may take several weeks to complete, so please allow sufficient time.

Once the license has been obtained, a copy must be forwarded to the Historical Society in advance of the event, and the license must be clearly posted during the event.

Insurance
Host liquor liability insurance is required for any event at which alcoholic beverages are served. Many organizations already have such insurance, so check with your director/executive to confirm. If not, then insurance may be obtained in one of the following ways:

* Licensed Bartender – a professional bartender with a license (such as TIPS or BarCode) will carry the appropriate insurance. S/he must contact the insurer and name the Needham Historical Society and the Town of Needham as insured for this event.
* One-Day Policy – The event host can purchase a one-day host liability policy once the liquor license has been obtained. The policy must name the Needham Historical Society and the Town of Needham as insured for this event.

Confirmation of the insurance policy (including a copy of the bartender’s license, if you are hiring one) must be forwarded to the Needham Historical Society at least a week prior to the event.

Bartender
For any party with over 50 guests at which wine and beer will be served, the host is required to hire a licensed/insured bartender. A copy of the license must be forwarded to the Historical Society prior to the event (see also “Insurance,” “Bartender”, above).