Richland County committee approves draft MOU letting school district use Simons gym; retains county priority and 30-day termination

The Richland County Executive and Finance Standing Committee voted May 13 to forward a draft memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Richland School District that would allow the district and the county’s Simons campus to share gymnasium and adjacent facilities on a negotiated schedule.

Committee members said the draft MOU specifies quarterly scheduling meetings and that "each party will be expected to leave the space as they found it," language added to address custodial concerns. The draft also says the school district shall not collect fees for events held at the gym.

Why it matters: the MOU is intended to increase public access and use of underutilized facilities adjoining the Simons campus — including fields and tennis courts — while protecting county priorities and minimizing custodial burdens on the district and Simons staff.

Key points discussed - Scheduling and coordination: the draft requires the parties to meet at least quarterly to negotiate schedules and avoid conflicts. Several committee members urged a single point of coordination to prevent scheduling disputes; others said the school district has an electronic scheduling system that could reduce workload for Simons staff. - Weight room access: the county retained language denying general access to the main weight room because maintenance staff were concerned about exposure to mechanical systems. - Fees and liability: the draft explicitly bars the school district from charging fees for gym events and functionally preserves county first use of the gym; one committee member described the document mainly as a liability-protection instrument for shared use. - Termination: the MOU can be ended by either party with 30 days' notice.

Several members said the arrangement is similar to prior use when the campus was operated by the University of Wisconsin and that the MOU restores a preexisting shared-use relationship. After discussion the committee voted to move the draft to the full county board; two members recorded opposition (Mister Gill and Mister Cooley).

Next steps: the committee will send the draft MOU to the full county board for final approval; if approved by both parties, the MOU will be implemented and scheduling coordination will begin. The county and district can terminate the MOU with 30 days' notice if the arrangement proves unworkable.