Ringgold board clashes over policy for facility rentals
The board voted 6-2 to table a policy designating fees for organizations using district facilities and grounds.
Ringgold School Board directors clashed before and during their meeting Wednesday about the policy for use of the school’s facilities and grounds.
Policy No. 707, which has been tabled the past few months, was tabled again by a vote of 6-2 due to the school district charging nonprofit organizations to use district facilities.
Directors Heather Wilhelm, Sarah Fine, Sherrie Garry, Gail Glaneman, Paul Mountain and Maureen Ott voted yes to tabling the motion. Directors Carol Flament and Jason Briscoe opposed. Director Steven Toprani wasn’t present.
The purpose of the policy is to permit the general public to use school buildings, or portions of school buildings, and any of the grounds or other school property under its control, when such facilities are not in use for school purposes.
It could be used for school sponsored groups, school affiliated groups, community groups, non-profit organizations and private interest/for profit organizations.
Glaneman raised concerns about the policy’s language.
“Under number four, for nonprofit, we are saying that ‘501(c)(3) organizations or similar organizations may be permitted to use school facilities on a reduced rental basis,’ and yet we aren’t showing that reduced rental basis,” Glaneman said. “So, I kind of feel like there are some nonprofits out there that might be interested in using (the facilities) whether it’s an auditorium to promote their special interest, or the gymnasium or the cafeteria, and yet we’re going to be charging them the same as a for-profit (because it’s not) consistent with the verbage we have set.”
Ott agreed. “In addition, I think increasing your rates from $150 a day to $200 an hour is an increase of over 24 times in one fell swoop. And I believe that is excessive. And that’s just one instance. So, you are basically saying you don’t want people to use your facilities and I think that is wrong. I don’t agree with this.”
Flament argued that some of the organizations that may use Ringgold facilities might not even be nonprofits at all, and the board can adjust the fee for the organization. She also said that everyone should pay the same.
“The thing that upsets me is last month I wasn’t here. This was handed out to everybody that was here at the meeting. Then, we had another meeting about it, and there were four people present, and now we table it again tonight — like how many months are we going to go on tabling the same thing. Why didn’t somebody come back and say, ‘Hey we’re going from $150 to $200 an hour is a little bit ridiculous, but can’t we compromise and go to $125 an hour?’ There has been no communication until tonight.”
Glaneman disagreed, saying she expressed her concerns at other meetings – stating that she has mentioned before about the cost of renting the facilities and making the distinction between a nonprofit and a for profit organization.
“They have to have 501(c) (3) paperwork with the IRS. I don’t know, whether you believed it or not, that’s what they have to have,” Glaneman said. “It’s my opinion and I think I’m entitled to my opinion. Don’t you agree that the phrase, ‘may be permitted in school facilities on a reduced rental basis’ is ambiguous? Who are you going to say who gets a reduced rate and who doesn’t?”
Superintendent Randall Skrinjorich said the language in the policy has always been there, and discussed with the board what is a nonprofit and what isn’t, which comes down to if the organization has 501(c)(3) status.
Wilhelm said the policy was “not consistent,” and voted to table the discussion.
Briscoe will collect the board’s concerns via email so the policy can be further discussed at its next committee of the whole and regular meeting Sept. 10.
