Lassen County supervisors agree to let youth group use county building, waive fees for the season

The Lassen County Board of Supervisors on a consensus decision agreed to allow a local youth organization to use a county-owned building for the remainder of its current season and to waive or reduce rental fees for that period.

County counsel told the board the use can be authorized under Government Code section 262,007 if the board makes findings that the reduced rate serves a public benefit. "There is no gift of public funds concern when it comes to the reduction in the rate," counsel said, adding that the board would include specific findings about the public benefit (youth sports and education) when it brings a formal contract back to the agenda.

The board members discussed several specific terms: the length of the arrangement (the remainder of the season), a nonexclusive-use provision so other entities can also request use during the season, and a standard liability requirement that the renting organization be responsible for any damages and repairs. One supervisor said the suggested $20-per-day rate “is too low to cover our heating and electrical cost,” while staff noted heating is the primary cost and an energy analysis could refine the estimate.

A speaker who described the local youth program said the group had "over a 100 kids" affected after Lassen College ended its prior arrangement, characterizing the request as an emergency need for the season. Board members who supported the reduced or waived fee framed it as short-term relief to prevent the program from losing its season, while some supervisors cautioned that waiving fees could open the door for many similar requests in the future.

Next steps: staff will draft a standard contract and bring it back to the board for formal action at a subsequent meeting, and staff agreed to perform an energy use analysis to help set a defensible fee if the board chooses a reduced-but-not-waived rate.