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2 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW RCC students, faculty hold vigil to honor UCC shooting victims ... Funding will help close gap in Greenway trail ... SOU set to reopen Thursday after threatening handwritten note prompts closure ... RCC students, faculty hold vigil to honor UCC shooting victims ... Funding will help close gap in Greenway trail ... SOU set to reopen Thursday after threatening handwritten note prompts closure ... OUR VIEW Our View: School district facility fees should be reasonable Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Oct. 1, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Oct. 1, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News The Medford School Board was right to put off a new facility fee schedule for community groups after several organizations objected to the short notice. District officials should use the extra time to craft a policy that doesn't turn public buildings into a profit center. Community organizations ranging from sports leagues to a regional youth symphony orchestra have used district facilities for years, paying reasonable fees they worked into their budgets. But the abrupt announcement that fees would change and in some cases increase dramatically had the groups scrambling to figure out what to do for this school year. The Youth Symphony of Southern Oregon pays a $20-an-hour custodial fee for the time it spends rehearsing at North Medford High School. The new proposed schedule would have charged the orchestra a separate hourly fee for each room plus fees for every table and chair used. The annual cost to the YSSO would have gone from about $2,400 a year to $12,000. The district has a responsibility to its patrons to make sure it isn't subsidizing non-school organizations at the expense of its operating budget. But there is a big difference between recovering actual costs — heat and lights and district employees' time to open and close buildings and clean up after activities — and generating extra income. The board this week directed staff to draw up a proposed fee schedule by its Nov. 23 meeting, to take effect July 1, 2016. In the meantime, the district will charge a fee of at least $100 per booking to cover a custodian and a maintenance worker, should they be needed to clean up after the group. If they aren't needed, the fee could be refunded. If the district is having problems with groups leaving messes or causing damage, the solution is simple: Stop renting to them or demand a significant deposit from those causing problems. But the board should endeavor to meet community groups halfway, with the understanding that district residents agreed to tax themselves to build those buildings and that they are a community resource. What's more, activities such as the youth symphony serve district students and enhance the district's educational mission. Pricing them out of the facilities would serve no one's interest. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Oct. 1, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501