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District proposes clearer facility rental rules, sets after-hours charges and standard rental agreement
Summary
Evanston CCSD 65 presented revisions to its facility rental agreement to simplify pricing, clarify fee responsibility, require signed rental agreements and charge for after-hours use (work hours defined as 7 a.m.–9 p.m. on school days). Buildings & Grounds will assess fees and financial services will collect payments.
The board reviewed proposed changes to District 65’s facility rental agreements and fee structure at the March 10 Committee of the Whole meeting. The changes are intended to make pricing clearer, tighten invoicing and collection, and add a standardized rental contract.
Dr. Bairdsley (presenter) summarized the updates: the district is shifting away from a square-footage-only pricing model, grouping common user types (school-sponsored events, PTAs, park district partners) and clarifying which groups pay and which are exempt during normal working hours. She said the district’s goal is clarity for community users and consistent invoicing for the district.
Under the proposed process, permit requests still route to the principal or Buildings & Grounds. Buildings & Grounds will assess the fee and notify applicants; the signed rental agreement must be returned to place the event on the calendar. For summer rentals the administration is piloting passing invoices to Financial Services for collection. The district is also evaluating using the SchoolDude facilities module (the district already uses SchoolDude for work tickets) or MySchoolBucks for payments.
Dr. Bairdsley said facilities will charge for uses that fall outside standard working hours to cover custodial or concierge overtime. In board discussion the district clarified that "work hours" are defined as 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on school days; summer and weekend hours are handled differently and may incur additional charges.
The proposed rental agreement also includes damage-recovery language: Buildings & Grounds will add damages to invoices and may restrict future access until invoices are paid. The draft contains compliance and permissible-activity language; administration said it will follow up with the board on specific phrasing that ties permitted use to district values and safety expectations.
Why it matters: Clearer fees, a standard rental agreement and stricter invoice deadlines reduce the risk that the district subsidizes community events and improve the district’s ability to track and recover costs. Board members noted reputational risks from offsite events and asked for stronger contract language on prohibited activities and recourse if an event causes reputational harm.
