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Board approves new MCPS facility rental rates, seeks to move toward break-even
Summary
Trustees unanimously approved a five-year schedule of increased rental rates for elementary and high school facilities after staff said current fees do not fully cover custodial, utilities and maintenance costs.
Missoula County Public Schools trustees voted unanimously to adopt new facility rental rates for the 2025'26 school year as presented by district staff, aiming to reduce a longstanding shortfall between rental revenue and the costs of custodial staffing, utilities and equipment depreciation.
Burley McWilliams, who presented the proposed fee schedule, said the district currently recovers only about $160,000 of an estimated $204,000 in elementary rental costs and that utilities and staffing costs have risen. "We are not breaking even," McWilliams said. The board approved a staged, five-year rate schedule intended to move rentals closer to cost recovery while keeping weekday youth rates affordable.
Why it matters: the district rents gyms, fields, cafeterias and other spaces to youth groups, adult leagues and community organizations. Staff said gaps between revenue and costs mean the rental program subsidizes community uses from district funds; trustees debated how far to raise rates without pricing community groups out.
Details: the new schedule sets hourly rates for elementary gyms, summer program rates and a reworked hourly structure for high school fields (the field rates move from a multi-tier 1'3-hour with additional-hour model to a single hourly rate). Staff said implementing an earlier start time for rentals (5 p.m.) could increase usage and revenue. The board also authorized charging deposits for new renters to reduce unpaid balances.
Trustee reactions: Trustee Mercer urged the district to ensure rental operations do not draw money away from student services and asked staff to be careful about using custodial capacity that would otherwise serve district needs. Trustee Walsh, who moved the motion, said the rubric aims to balance community access and cost recovery. Trustees asked for a year-end report on how the new rates affect utilization and revenue.
Vote: motion to approve the recommendation moved by Trustee Walsh, second by Trustee Mercer; unanimous approval by all trustees present.
Ending: staff said they will present a year-end accounting of rental revenues and costs after the first year under the new schedule and may return with adjustments if the program does not approach break-even as planned.
