Board of Education to vote on facility use fee increase

HAMLET — A policy proposed to the Richmond County Board of Education last Tuesday would increase fees for community use of indoor and outdoor facilities.

“We know they serve the best interests of all of our students and we’re happy to work along with them,” said executive director of auxiliary services Melvin Ingram. “We know that along with use of the facility there is an increased cost.”

Use of a high school auditorium, cafeteria, gym or athletic field would cost $150 for one hour. Use of those same middle school facilities would cost $75 an hour. There could also be additional maintenance (100$), custodial ($25 a hour), cafeteria, school resource officer ($40 a hour) and press box attendant fees for some of the facilities.

Other changes to the existing policy would preclude access to a facility’s wireless networks, as well as giving principals the ability to approve groups, not the school board. Paint can not be used on a field without permission from the athletic director.

School-affiliated teams and groups may use K-12 fields during community hours, 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, without a fee with prior approval.

Ingram said that some Parks and Recreation teams use fields at their Ellerbe school, and that Raider Elite uses the Richmond Stadium field.

“We want to remain open but we also want to reflect the costs that are associated with community use of the facilities,” Ingram said.

Board member Scotty Baldwin suggested a non-hourly, flat fee of $100 or $200.

“That’s going to cripple some of these non-profits these are feeder programs that are really…. helping our athletes in the early years,” Baldwin said about the proposed policy.

In a Facebook post gathering a lot of buzz and traction on Wednesday, August 9, Raider Elite organizer John Carter said that the proposed fee is “crazy.”

“I don’t understand how we are providing something so positive and the system wants to bankrupt us!” states the post.

Chairman Wiley Mabe said during the meeting that one of the thoughts behind the policy was that certain fields are being over-utilized, and that there are fields at some of the elementary and middle schools that could be used more often.

Baldwin asked if the Special Olympics would be held to the proposed fees. Ingram said most likely no, because they are a non-profit they doesn’t charge at their events.

“We got to keep in mind that this is a partnership,” said board member Ronald Tillman. “At least try to have some flexibility with that pay scale. The school system is benefiting from that [partnership with local teams] in the long run.”

The board of education has 30 days to review the policy and will vote on it at their next meeting on the first Tuesday of September.