Facility usage fees, all-day K coming back to governing board

When the Maricopa Unified School District governing board meets in regular session Wednesday at 6 p.m., they will be discussing a fee schedule for community use of district facilities and all-day kindergarten. 

A fee schedule originally proposed in early September prompted questions about charges, renewals and the classification of churches.

“We surveyed six other school districts in the area. We came up with a good representation of what we thought was an average, representative cost,” said Rausch. “This represents the best information from other districts; it follows law, fairness and protects our assets,” said Director of Business Services Aron Rausch at that time.

The usage fee schedule presented in September was based on the following three categories:

· Class 1 was for non-profit organizations (with proof of IRS status) whose academic or recreational activities directly served school-age students.” This classification included groups like Boy and Girl Scouts, Little League, YMCA, etc., as well as volunteer groups conducting activities for school-aged children.

· Class 2 was for non-profit organizations that did not meet Class 1 definition, including churches, civic groups like Rotary, Kiwanis, etc., and homeowners’ associations.

· Class 3 was for “all organizations not meeting the definitions of the other classifications.” Class 3 was to be composed of profit-making groups.

Fees varied according to the class of the group utilizing the facilities. For example, hourly rates to rent baseball or softball fields were as follows:  Class 1-$30, Class 2-$120 and Class 3-$150. To rent a standard classroom, fees per hour increased by class from $2.50 to $20 and for Class 3 to $45.

With several questions and changes indicated by the board at that September meeting, the issue was rescheduled for a work session by a 5-0 vote.

Wednesday evening a new facilities usage fee schedule will be presented, based on four classifications:

Class I will include groups approved for uncompensated use that are open to the public and promote the district mission. Such groups include school-sponsored activities, school and booster clubs, teacher organizations and PTO/PTA groups.

Class II includes non-profit organizations directly serving school-aged children, such as Girl Scouts, Maricopa Youth Football, 4-H, Maricopa Little League and Boy Scouts.

Class III would be non-profit groups not defined as Class I or II, with recreational, educational, political, economic, artistic, scientific, social, religious, civic or governmental purposes.

Class IV users would include all organizations not meeting the definitions of other classifications.

For example, proposed fee schedules for the use of a standard classroom would be $7.50 per hour ($50 per day) for Classes II and III and $15 per hour ($100 per day) for Class IV users.

Use of an outdoor field without lights would be $25 per hour ($100 per day) for Classes II and III; $50 per hour ($200 per day) for Class IV users. Lights for the field’s use would add $25 per hour for all user classes.

In addition to the facilities usage fee schedule, the board will be asked to approve a Desert Wind Middle School eighth grade field trip to Sunsplash Water Park in Mesa on May 25. Students will pay their own admission and a $4 per person transportation cost. Eighth grade teachers will chaperone the event.

Board members will also be asked to approve the charge of a nominal fee for student breakfasts. The fee would be 10 cents for reduced price students and 50 cents for full-pay students. The district has not charged for breakfast in the past, but increased costs are making some repayment necessary.

Approval for a Summer Food Service Program for low-income children is on the board agenda, as well as an updating of the district’s food program permanent service agreement with the Arizona Department of Education.

All-day kindergarten, and/or tuition-based kindergarten were added to the board’s agenda on Monday afternoon.

If you go:

What:  MUSD governing board meeting (click here for agenda)
When:  Wednesday, April 14, 6 p.m.
Where:  District Office Administration Building, 44150 W. Maricopa-Casa Grande Hwy.

File photo