Richland 2 board weighs clearer fee rules, narrower waivers as facility-use policy is revised

Richland School District 2 administrators proposed revisions to Policy KF on Nov. 11, presenting a draft policy and an accompanying administrative rule that would shift procedural details out of the policy and into a rule for staff implementation.

The changes, explained by Dr. Franklin and the facilities team, would keep the board-level policy brief while putting operational guidance '2KF-R'2 into an administrative document. Administration said it would also simplify existing fee-waiver categories to two options: either a full fee waiver or a 50% waiver for qualifying groups. The presentation included a rental example showing a stadium rental at $250 per hour with a two-hour minimum, yielding $1,500 for a six-hour event, plus labor and technician costs. Officials said the district currently returns 60% of rental revenue to the school and retains 40% for operating costs.

Board members pressed administrators for clearer public-facing language after noting points of confusion. Dr. Elkins Scott asked whether custodial charges associated with polling places are billed back to the district or to the jurisdiction; administration replied the custodial fee is paid directly to the third-party vendor (Service Solutions) and does not pass through district coffers, but agreed to tweak wording so the public understands that custodial staffing may still be required even when the facility itself is provided free for voting in compliance with state law.

Ms. Porter raised concerns about student groups and community organizations that charge participation fees, such as AAU clubs and booster clubs, and whether they would qualify for waivers. Administration said current law and the draft rule would generally disallow waivers for private entities charging for participation, but acknowledged ambiguity for district-affiliated booster or fundraising events and committed to add explicit fundraising language and clarifying examples in the administrative rule before the next reading.

Administrators also agreed to provide a clearer itemization for operational costs after board requests. "The best way I can explain the operating costs as they are right now is that it's a historical average of what we've paid for utilities," a facilities presenter said, adding the district compared rates with neighboring districts and remains among the less expensive districts in the Midlands for facility rental.

The board did not vote on the policy itself on Nov. 11; administration said the draft will be brought back for further edits and for second reading as required. Next steps include adding explicit fundraising and booster-club language, clarifying custodial and polling-place charges, and supplying a brief explanation of what operational charges cover in public-facing materials and the Facilitron reservation site.

Why it matters: Facility rental fees and waivers both generate revenue for schools and determine community access to public resources. Clearer policy language and public explanations aim to reduce confusion for civic groups, volunteer booster clubs, and residents who use district facilities.