Parks advisory board approves 50% fee waiver for local school's two tennis matches

The Beaufort County Parks and Recreation Advisory Board on March 5 approved a 50% fee reduction for a local school's request to use downtown tennis courts for two home matches, with staff given authority to determine how many courts can be allocated and to confirm insurance and other requirements.

Board members discussed that the applicant — identified in the record as "the Complete Student" — has historically paid full fees and had submitted payment for one date. Staff described a scheduling conflict with a concurrent tennis clinic run by Larry Shepard and said staff would decide court allocation to avoid disrupting other programs.

During discussion board members asked about typical fees and how the waiver would be applied. Staff explained the standard charge would be $300 per three-hour event for use of six courts and that a 50% reduction was proposed for both dates, subject to staff confirming insurance and availability. A motion to grant the 50% fee waiver for the two dates was made, seconded and approved by the board.

The action authorizes staff to finalize logistics, including the exact number of courts to be reserved for the matches and verification of insurance and other standard requirements. The transcript records the motion and the board's approval but does not identify the member who moved it by name.

The board review also noted that the applicant had previously received a 50% reduction for a different school event in 2025, and staff said this prior history factored into the recommendation. The waiver applies only to the fee amount; staff will handle scheduling and on-site signage to alert the public to any temporary court closures.

Next steps: Staff will implement the reduction, confirm dates, and notify the board if any scheduling conflicts require changes.