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Board opens review of facility-use fees, creates subcommittee to refine policy
Summary
Board discussion flagged high facility-use fees and challenges in classifying outside users; members asked staff to research fee structures and form a subcommittee with athletics and booster representatives to recommend policy changes.
The Octorara Area School District board spent an extended portion of its March 17 meeting addressing facility-use fees and the districts fee schedule that governs use of fields, gyms and other school facilities. Board members said recent fee increases had prompted community concern and argued that high fees could discourage feeder programs and youth participation.
Board members noted the district earns roughly $13,000to20,000 annually from facility fees (spring numbers still coming in was the comment from a board member) and asked whether the district could reduce or restructure fees to increase participation by local youth programs. Members emphasized the need for a policy that distinguishes "feeder" (youth programs that directly serve district students) from outside or for-profit groups and protects district staff from being placed in the position of adjudicating gray cases.
Administrators said facility use policy (Policy 707) and the existing application include a waiver section and that staff have sometimes granted waivers when district costs were not incurred. Board members discussed options including refundable deposits, sliding scales tied to the percentage of participants who are district students, in-kind services (for example contributing field maintenance) and comparative research on fees used by neighboring districts.
The board agreed to form a small board-led subcommittee (three volunteers) to work with the athletic director, facilities staff and community stakeholders (for example booster clubs) to review fees, definitions of feeder programs and waiver practices and to return findings to the policy committee. Administrators and board members emphasized protecting custodial/maintenance capacity and preventing a system that would create untenable scheduling demands on district staff.
No formal fee schedule changes were approved at the meeting; the board asked staff to bring back recommendations.
