Oak Ridge Town Council on Sept. 4 approved an addendum to the town's field uses policy affecting how the Oak Ridge Youth Association (ORYA) and other users contract for and are rebated for field usage. The council reduced the proposed insurance requirement from $2,000,000 to $1,000,000 and approved a mechanism for issuing rebates to the youth association on a monthly basis; it also approved an immediate rebate for an ORYA-sponsored sports camp earlier in the summer.

Staff had proposed raising the liability coverage requirement to $2,000,000 aggregate and $1,000,000 per occurrence as a modernization of the town's standard for contractors and users; staff said the $2,000,000 figure reflected current best practices and the town's insurer's recommendations. Council members asked staff about the financial impact on ORYA and whether Guilford County's standard ($1,000,000) was sufficient. "The ones I've seen in my practice... the 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 is negligible," a staff speaker said when discussing premium differences; staff further said the county often requires $1,000,000.

Council members debated whether to keep $2,000,000 or revert to $1,000,000 while preserving other policy changes. An initial motion to approve the addendum with both the $2,000,000 requirement and a provision allowing ORYA to apply its approved rebate as a credit failed on a voice vote. Council then approved a revised motion setting the insurance requirement at $1,000,000 and leaving the remainder of the addendum in place.

Council also approved a separate administrative action to allow immediate rebate payment for an ORYA-sponsored sports camp (a rebate amount of $5 per Oak Ridge resident per event, not to exceed actual expenses) so the organization could be reimbursed for August activities while the policy transition was finalized. Staff said monthly invoices will remain payable to the town under the policy and that the addendum permits issuing rebates monthly once records and rosters are provided.

Why it matters: The changes affect the youth association's operating costs and the town's risk-management posture. Council members said they wanted to avoid imposing a sudden, material new cost on a volunteer-run organization while still protecting the town's liability exposure.

Other clarifications from the meeting: Town staff noted that Guilford County and Guilford County Schools set a $1,000,000 requirement in some contexts; council discussed the practical costs of increasing coverage and asked staff to confirm any premium impact. The policy also includes operational details (for example, damage charge for scoreboard remotes was listed at $500), and staff said rebates will be administratively processed and require rosters and documentation from the association.

Council directed staff to implement the approved changes and to work with ORYA on the immediate rebate payment and monthly processing going forward.