No more outside gatherings will be taking place in the Ward County Administration Building.

Due to stiff competition for meeting space, the Ward County Commission decided Tuesday to limit use of meetings rooms in the administration building to official county functions. That impacts not only private events but court-ordered victim impact panels conducted by Rehab Services Inc. (RSI) and individual township meetings.

The victim impact panels were held in the Courthouse before construction of the administration building and moved over several years ago when the meeting facilities shifted to the new building. According to RSI, finding a replacement location will be difficult because the panels, held one evening every other month, require space for 40-60 people and the availability of screen technology.

The county’s existing policy to allow outside use has been in place since December 2018. The change in policy doesn’t affect veterans, who have priority use of a meeting room in the building.

The commission agreed to honor meetings already scheduled by outside groups through July 1.