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Emporia board weighs flat custodial fee, defers final vote on facility rental rates

Emporia USD 253 Board of Education · December 10, 2025
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Summary

Board members probed a proposed facility rental fee structure (five user categories and a custodial charge) and raised equity concerns about a flat $25 custodial rate; staff said final fee approval will return after committee review.

District staff presented a first reading of a proposed facility rental usage-rate procedure and related fee structure that would classify users into five groups and assess fees, including a custodial charge to cover additional staffing when events require extra custodial time.

Staff said the goal is to recover marginal costs when extra staff are needed but to sustain community partnerships for groups such as employer-rec programs. The draft procedure references a custodial charge (example $25/hour) but staff clarified the fee would only apply for the actual custodian time required and could vary by event size.

Board members questioned the equity of a flat custodial rate and whether different facilities (e.g., turf field, library stair spaces) should have differentiated fees. One member noted that commercial or semi-pro use of turf carries higher replacement costs and may justify higher charges; others urged moderating fees for community and youth groups. Multiple members suggested reconvening the cost-containment or facilities committee to provide recommendations before bringing the item back for approval.