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Board discusses facility‑use insurance and auditorium pricing, seeks fee schedule review
Summary
District staff told the board insurance will not cover incidents caused by outside organizations using school facilities and staff defended identical hourly auditorium fees for nonprofit and for‑profit users because AV, security and technician costs make the space expensive to operate; auditorium seating is cited at 1,142 seats.
Board members discussed proposed updates to the community use of facilities policy (5030) and the district’s facility‑use fee schedule, focusing on insurance and rates for the new high school auditorium.
Staff said the district’s insurer clarified that an outside organization’s mere signing of a waiver does not make the organization covered by district insurance for incidents that occur while using district facilities. “We did get clarification from our insurance company that they would not cover an incident from an outside organization using our facilities,” a staff presenter said. For that reason, staff recommend retaining a requirement for outside users to carry insurance or otherwise be covered.
Board members raised concerns that nonprofit parent organizations (PTOs) and some other quasi‑school groups might not be 501(c)(3) entities and therefore could be priced out of using facilities if required to buy separate insurance. Staff suggested options: (a) help PTOs pursue 501(c)(3) status, (b) designate some parent groups as school‑sponsored groups so they fall under school oversight and district insurance, or (c) point PTOs to low‑cost insurance options available through national PTO organizations.
Several board members questioned the proposed fee for the new Asheville High auditorium, noting the draft schedule lists the same $200 per hour rate for nonprofit and for‑profit users. Staff said the $200 flat fee is a base charge and that the actual cost of opening the auditorium will be higher once AV technician fees, security and custodial staffing are added. Staff also said they reviewed market comparables (including AB Tech rental rates) and intend to revisit the fee schedule if the board desires. The auditorium’s seating capacity was given as 1,142 (plus handicap seating).
Staff said they will finish the fee‑schedule procedure (5030P) and online forms and return with a clarified revenue flow, suggested options for PTO access, and a possible revised schedule specific to the high school auditorium.
No formal vote was taken; staff asked the board for guidance and offered to bring a revised fee schedule back to the board for approval.
