Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Facility Use Fees topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
District proposes higher facility rental fees and new custodial charges to stop subsidizing after‑hours use
Summary
Facilities manager Devon Anne Reyes presented a proposal to raise rental rates, add equipment fees and charge additional custodial time for after‑hours events. The board discussed custodial overtime, classifications for local/nonlocal users and asked administration to return with final rates for approval.
Devon Anne Reyes, ISD 194’s Facility Systems and Use manager, told the board on June 24 that the district’s facility use program had been operating at a loss and proposed rate changes and policy clarifications intended to stop subsidizing after‑hours community use.
Reyes said district use made up roughly 82% of after‑hours activity and that Class 1 users (local boosters, PTOs and youth nonprofit groups) account for about 88% of non‑district requests. She described three user classifications—with class 1 for local nonprofit and school‑related groups, class 2 for nonlocal or larger nonprofit events and class 3 for for‑profit users—and said the changes would keep local groups’ priority while recovering costs for staffing and building operations.
The presentation included new hourly proposals for auditorium use: Kenwood auditorium at $45 per hour, Lakeville North auditorium at $55 and Lakeville South auditorium at $65, reflecting differences in equipment and upkeep. Reyes also said the proposed fee schedule and added equipment and custodial fees would move the program toward break‑even: with current fees fiscal year 2025 showed a deficit; the FY2026 projection with the proposed increases would be roughly break‑even with a projected small surplus.
Board members focused on labor costs driving the deficit. Administration explained that evening and weekend facility use often requires overtime or double time for custodial staff; the presentation listed roughly $680,000 in labor costs related to after‑hours staffing and cited $380,000 for custodial overtime specifically. Directors discussed alternatives including hiring dedicated evening staff, contracting outside crews or relying on casual staff and student workers; administration and HR staff said contract and union provisions limit how custodial assignments can be changed and that weekend slots are hard to fill.
Directors also asked about exemptions and one‑off waivers: Reyes confirmed PTOs were previously made exempt from rental fees during the school day but that many student‑organized events that are not run through a school or district account are classified as non‑district and do carry fees. The board explored whether truly student‑only events might be treated differently; Reyes said changing classifications would require consistent policy direction to avoid favoritism and to preserve liability and insurance requirements.
The board did not adopt fees at the meeting but asked administration to return with the finalized fee schedule and to provide additional modeling of the fiscal impacts and potential labor models (for example, dedicated evening/weekend staff) before final approval.
Ending: The district will return to the board in coming weeks with a proposed final rate schedule, custodial staffing options and a clearer projection of FY2026 net impact.
