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3 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 Our View: Gun lobby's influence exceeds its support ... County no longer will provide free storage for Storytelling Guild ... Guest Opinion: Coming to terms with our society's culture of violence ... Our View: Gun lobby's influence exceeds its support ... County no longer will provide free storage for Storytelling Guild ... Guest Opinion: Coming to terms with our society's culture of violence ... OUR VIEW Our View: School district facility fees should be reasonable MailTribune.com Writer Posted Oct. 1, 2015 @ 12:01 am Posted Oct. 1, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> 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 @ 12:01 am » Comment or view comments Terms of Service /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » 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. 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