Terms of Service & Use
These Terms of Service & Use (“Terms”) govern your use of the ward9nh.org website and our other services, including all related content, features, forms, and services provided at ward9nh.org (the “Website”). The Website is owned and operated by Maria’s Comrades (“Maria’s Comrades,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). By accessing or using the Website, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use this Website or our other services.
These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and Maria’s Comrades regarding your use of the Website and any other services we offer, unless otherwise expressly agreed in writing by us. Maria’s Comrades may amend these Terms and any part of this Website, including the Privacy Policy, at any time. The parties are bound by the latest version of the agreement.
1. Acceptable Use & User Responsibilities
1.1 Intended Use
The purpose of this Website and our services is to share information about Ward 9 in New Haven, to give residents a way to ask questions, request assistance, subscribe to updates, and express interest in volunteering, and to give visitors a way to learn more and get in touch, among other things, as determined from time to time by Maria’s Comrades. By using this Website or any of our services, you acknowledge that the foregoing is in line with your intended use, and Maria’s Comrades shall not be held liable for any other use of this Website or anything herein.
1.2 Prohibited Conduct
You agree not to:
- Use the Website for any illegal purpose, or in violation of any local, state, national, or international law.
- Violate or misappropriate, or encourage others to violate or misappropriate, the rights of third parties, including intellectual property rights.
- Share or distribute any content that is unlawful, defamatory, libelous, inaccurate, or that a reasonable person could deem objectionable, profane, indecent, pornographic, harassing, threatening, hateful, or otherwise inappropriate, the determination of which we reserve in our sole and absolute discretion.
- Interfere in any way with security-related features of the Website.
- Interfere with the operation or any user’s enjoyment of the Website, including by uploading or disseminating viruses, adware, spyware, worms, or other malicious code, making unsolicited offers or advertisements to other users, or attempting to collect personal information about users or third parties without their consent.
- Access, monitor, or copy any content or information of the Website using any robot, script, spider, scraper, or other automated means, or for any purpose use a manual process to collect information or content, or use the Website as part of any machine learning or similar algorithmic activity, without the express prior written permission of Maria’s Comrades.
- Perform any fraudulent activity, including impersonating any person or entity, claiming false affiliations, accessing the accounts of other users without permission, or falsifying your identity or any information about you.
- Copy, reproduce, rent, lease, sell, transfer, assign, sublicense, modify, publish, disclose, distribute, display, or prepare derivative works of the Website or any materials related to our services.
- Except to the extent permitted by applicable law or expressly permitted in these Terms, reverse engineer, disassemble, or decompile the Website, including any corresponding source code, without prior written consent from us.
- Sell or otherwise transfer the access granted herein.
- Submit highly sensitive information through any form, such as Social Security numbers, financial account details, or medical records.
1.3 Volunteering
Submitting a volunteer interest form does not guarantee a role, placement, schedule, or training. Needs and options may change from time to time. Volunteering does not create employment, an official staff position, or authority to act on behalf of any elected official or office.
2. Intellectual Property
2.1 Overall
Maria’s Comrades is the sole and exclusive owner, or rightful licensee — including via the fair use doctrine — of all content on this Website, including all information, documents, photographs, graphics, and other materials available through this Website and all services operated by Maria’s Comrades and third parties through this Website. These materials are protected by copyright law and trademark law, and you do not have a license to use the content on this Website for any purpose other than those expressly granted by us herein.
2.2 Website Ownership
The Website and all Website content not otherwise provided for in these Terms — including text, graphics, branding, layout, software, and design — is owned exclusively by Maria’s Comrades and is protected under U.S. copyright, trademark, and intellectual property laws.
2.3 User Content & Third-Party Material
Users of the Website retain ownership of any of their intellectual property submitted and incorporated into user content. Maria’s Comrades holds a non-exclusive, perpetual, royalty-free license to use all user-related content for purposes related to providing its services.
2.4 Trademarks
“Maria’s Comrades,” its logo, and all related branding are trademarks exclusively owned by Maria’s Comrades. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited.
2.5 Intellectual Property Protections & Complaints
The services are protected by applicable copyright and other intellectual property laws. No materials from the services may be copied, reproduced, republished, uploaded, posted, transmitted, or distributed in any way without our express prior permission. If you believe that your content has been used in a way that constitutes copyright infringement or otherwise violates applicable intellectual property law, please contact us at [email protected] with the following information:
- An electronic or physical signature of the copyright owner or authorized representative.
- A description of the copyrighted work you claim has been infringed.
- A description of where the allegedly infringing material is located on the Website.
- Your address, telephone number, and email address.
- A written statement of your good faith belief that the complained use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or applicable law.
- A statement, made under penalty of perjury, attesting to the accuracy of the above information and your authority to act on behalf of the copyright owner.
Once duly received, we will act upon any complaint in accordance with our dispute resolution policies.
3. Limitation of Liability; Disclaimers & Indemnification
3.1 Limitation of Liability
Maria’s Comrades will not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, equitable, special, punitive, exemplary, or any other damages resulting from your use of this Website, including all the content, information, and services. Maria’s Comrades is not liable for loss of profits, revenue, data, or use, incurred by you, whether the liability arises out of breach of contract, tort, negligence, warranty, or otherwise, even if the other party has been advised of the possibility of such damages.
3.2 Accuracy Disclaimer
All information on this Website is accurate and true to the best of our direct knowledge, but there may be omissions, errors, or mistakes for which Maria’s Comrades shall not be liable in any event. Maria’s Comrades is not liable for any damages due to any errors or omissions on this site, delay or denial of any services, failure of performance of any kind, interruption in the operation or your use of the Website, website attacks including computer virus, hacking of information, or any other system failures or misuse of information.
3.3 User Responsibility
You assume personal responsibility for utilizing the information provided on this Website. Maria’s Comrades is not responsible for anyone’s actions or non-actions during or after use of our Website or services, and you accept full responsibility for the use, or non-use, of the information on our Website or in any of our services.
3.4 Additional General Legal & Liability Disclaimer
Maria’s Comrades is an independent community organization. Information is for reference only and does not guarantee any specific outcomes. The Website is not an emergency service; in an emergency, call 911. Maria’s Comrades makes no representations or warranties as to the accuracy or timeliness of the information contained herein, especially linked content from third parties, and expressly disclaims any liability for your voluntary actions or non-actions.
3.5 No Endorsement Disclaimer
Publishing and promotion of any information, activities, or happenings do not imply endorsement of any persons, organizations, efforts or contents thereof. All individuals should conduct independent due diligence.
3.6 Intellectual Property Disclaimer
All content is owned by Maria’s Comrades, used under license or fair use, or is otherwise in the public domain. Users of the Website that provide any content do so while granting Maria’s Comrades a license to display submitted materials per these Terms.
3.7 Third-Party Links Disclaimer
We do not control or endorse external links.
3.8 Privacy Disclaimer
By using this site, you agree to data collection per our Privacy Policy.
3.9 Indemnification
You agree that you will be personally responsible for your use of the Website and any of our services. You further agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Maria’s Comrades, along with any of its owners, volunteers, or agents, from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including attorneys’ and accounting fees and costs) arising out of or in any way connected with: (i) any content you have submitted to us or we publish related to you; (ii) your violation of the Terms or any applicable law or regulation; (iii) your violation of any third-party right, including any intellectual property, publicity, confidentiality, property, or privacy right; or (iv) any disputes or issues between you and any third party. We reserve the right, at our own expense, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter otherwise subject to indemnification by you, and in such case, you agree to cooperate with our defense of any such claims.
4. Notices
All notices, requests, demands, and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and submitted via email to [email protected]. Once duly received, we will act upon any matter in accordance with our applicable policies.
5. Governing Law, Dispute Resolution & Arbitration
5.1 Governing Law
These Terms shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Connecticut, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.
5.2 Mandatory Arbitration
Any disputes arising from these Terms shall be resolved exclusively through binding arbitration in New Haven, Connecticut, under the rules of the American Arbitration Association (AAA).
5.3 No Class Actions
Users agree that disputes must be resolved on an individual basis and waive any right to participate in a class action lawsuit or class-wide arbitration.
6. Entire Agreement; Waiver
6.1 Entire Agreement
This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between you and Maria’s Comrades pertaining to this site and the services therein, and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements, representations, and understandings between you and Maria’s Comrades pertaining to this site and the services therein.
6.2 Waivers
No waiver of any provision of this Agreement by Maria’s Comrades shall be deemed, or shall constitute, a waiver of any other provision, whether or not similar, nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver. No waiver shall be binding unless executed in writing by us.
7. Changes to These Terms
7.1 Any Changes
Maria’s Comrades reserves the right to modify or update these Terms at any time, including without notice or publication, to the highest extent allowed under applicable settled and controlling law and jurisdiction. Continued use of the Website constitutes acceptance of any updated Terms.
7.2 Questions
For questions regarding these Terms, contact [email protected].