Facilities subcommittee OKs new rental rates in subcommittee, sends fees to full committee

The Facilities Usage and Planning Subcommittee voted in subcommittee on May 27 to approve proposed new facility rental rates for fiscal year 2026 and will forward the item to the full Brockton School Committee for final approval.

Facilities Director Ken Thompson presented a revised rental agreement and a spreadsheet comparing current and proposed rates, saying the packet had been vetted by the city law department and school legal staff. The proposed schedule differentiates Brockton groups and outside groups; Thompson said rates had not been raised in decades and staff benchmarked neighboring districts.

The motion to approve the FY26 rental fees was made by School Committee member Joyce Oliver and seconded by Zolinda Azak. The roll-call in subcommittee recorded Sullivan abstaining, Mister Vega voting yes, Oliver yes, Azak yes, Mister Sullivan no, and the chair voting yes; the motion passed in subcommittee and will appear on the full committee’s June 3 agenda. Oliver said the rates are relatively modest increases intended to avoid charging the district, while Mister Vega and Gomes urged the district to pursue outside revenue opportunities for nonresident groups. Member Salud asked about the auditorium jump (from $260 to $350 on some items); Thompson said rates are comparable to other districts and the facilities team is prepared to amend specifics if the full committee requests.

Committee members asked several operational questions that will be handled administratively. Thompson said proof of insurance—typically a $1,000,000 binder—will be required before a rental agreement is finalized. Custodial charges are billed hourly and renters pay for the hours custodians are on site; the district uses a minimum-hour practice tied to custodial payroll. Thompson confirmed the rental team will continue to review long-term rental requests and that any extended, multi-week or multi-month rentals would come before the committee for approval; members discussed a proposed trigger (e.g., 1–3 months) and asked legal counsel to help draft language.

Thompson said the superintendent retains discretionary authority to waive fees in particular cases; he cited one summer program where the district reduced charges to 25% of standard fees so a program serving hundreds of Brockton students could operate. Members directed staff to finalize the packet language, return it to the full committee for a vote, and circulate a public version of the rental list and rates. No final change to the rates takes effect until the School Committee votes.