Brockton facilities subcommittee probes who controls school-adjacent parks under City Charter

The Facilities Usage and Planning Subcommittee of the Brockton School Committee on May 27 asked staff to compile a complete list of school-owned properties after members said portions of parkland and athletic fields adjacent to schools have been maintained and rented by the city Parks Department for years.

Members said the matter matters because the City Charter’s language about parks adjacent to school grounds requires a written request from the Parks Commission and written authorization from the school committee when control of school grounds is turned over. Subcommittee members said they could not find documentary evidence that such written authorization was formally executed in recent decades.

Subcommittee Chair (Facilities Subcommittee) opened the topic by quoting the charter and saying the committee “may, however, during vacation periods of school, turn over the control of the use of designated school yards and school grounds to the parks commission,” but that the transfer “shall only be accomplished if and when the park commission in writing applies for and the school committee in writing authorized the same.” Facilities Director Ken Thompson told the subcommittee staff will meet with Parks Commissioner Tim Carpenter to determine logistics for returning control of some ballfields to the school department and that a formal, written notification process is required.

Committee members raised practical concerns. School Committee member Azak asked whether the school department is being charged under “Schedule 19” fees for maintenance while the parks department also collects rental revenue; member Oliver said she wanted copies of invoices showing what the city bills the district. Thompson said the schedule 19 booklet lists charges and that the parks department currently collects rental fees for events and permits. Member Gomes urged a transparent accounting of what the district pays and what revenue the parks department collects from rentals of school-adjacent fields.

Subcommittee members also flagged individual parcels they had not realized were school property, including a small green space near Warren Avenue that is being modified for a two-way road project. Members discussed whether the city could use eminent domain for a sliver of that parcel and noted the city solicitor would be consulted if the project proceeds. Members asked staff to create a centralized, accessible inventory—printed and posted online—listing all properties the Brockton School Department maintains, including parks, fields, and buildings.

The subcommittee did not vote or take formal action on policy changes at the meeting. Members directed staff to assemble: a complete list of properties the district maintains; invoices and schedule-19 charge details; and the steps needed to formally reclaim control of specific fields, with the intent to begin implementation in January to allow time for staffing and operational ramp-up.

The discussion concluded with staff committing to circulate the requested inventory and for Thompson to coordinate meetings with the parks commission to resolve permitting and maintenance responsibilities ahead of a planned transfer of selected fields.