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Alpine school board reconsiders
facility fee charges
By Susan Hogoboom
The Alpine Sun
ALPINE — Scrambling to find ways to
ease the district’s budget crisis, the Alpine Union School
District board discussed several options at the meeting held
last Wednesday, Sept. 16. The board also reconsidered one
money-making plan that had previously been approved.
The proposal, approved by the board in August, allows
AUSD to charge non-profit sports organizations for use of
district facilities, which, if it were to take effect, could
rake in as much as $15,000 a year. Due to a provision within
Robert’s Rules of Order, board President Mark Price brought the
item back for reconsideration because of public outcry after its
board approval in August.
Three members of the public spoke to the board on the matter.
Chuck Taylor, chief operating officer of Parkland for
Alpine Youth (PLAY), spoke on behalf of all sports organizations
in Alpine, pointing out that the facilities belong to the
taxpayers.
Taylor strongly opposes the fees. He referred to the
Civic Center Act: Use of School Property for Public Purposes, an
act granting the board authority to impose the fees. Taylor
believes the fee estimates are over-inflated. He mentioned his
recent column in The Alpine Sun (Youth Sports Cry Foul, Sept. 3,
2009) strongly opposing the proposal.
“These schools belong to the taxpayers,” Taylor told
the board. “Part of the school’s responsibility is for the
nurturing of our children, and sports provide that.”
Alpine Planning Group member Greg Fox called the
proposal “shallow-minded” and threatened to discontinue his
fundraising activities for the school district if the proposal
were to be passed.
“For me to continue to participate and put money into
your pocket … and I’m sure Mr. Ryan would be more than happy to
have that continue to happen,” he said. “I would ask you to
re-consider.”
Also offering an opposing point of view of the proposal
was APG Chairman and PLAY Chief Executive Officer Dana Zeno,
speaking on behalf of Alpine American Little League and American
Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO).
“The fees we assess per this policy, being a non-profit
organization, we have to, at the end of the year, balance our
budget and the cost. Any increased costs are going to be applied
to the families,” he said.
Zeno fears that, with increased costs, children will
become more reluctant to participate in local sports, which many
believe mold a good attitude and work ethic. Zeno gave an
example of his organization’s low usage rate. He told the board
that his organization brings its own supplies, does not use
district water, and participants clean up after themselves. Zeno
also questioned whether the cancellation fee, which would be
imposed by the district if organizations do not cancel within 72
hours, is in compliance with the Civic Center Act.
Price, who voted for the imposition of the fees at the
August meeting, is now opposed to the proposal and is the member
who exercised the Robert’s Rules provision. The decision
reconsidering the fees was tabled until the next meeting, to be
held Wednesday, Oct. 14.
“I don’t think it’s right to keep going back to
taxpayers who pay every year for these facilities and who go out
into the community to raise money for this district,” he said.
“I will not slap down those who supported us.”
He said there may be another bond soon that the
district will want taxpayers to vote for.
“I’m looking forward to counting on them if we do put a
bond on the ballot down the road, so I’m going to vote against
it,” said Price.
New board member Christopher Newcomb seemed offended by
what Price implied a ‘yes’ vote indicates.
“I’m not voting to slap anybody down, and I resent the
fact that that’s what a ‘yes’ vote means to some people,” said
Newcomb, thanking those who have supported AUSD but noting that
his job is to take care of the district and the children in it.
“We have to balance our budget.”
Newcomb, appointed July 8, admitted he came into the
situation late and assured others that he conducted research on
the proposal before the vote in August.
Eric Wray said his vote has not changed since August.
Wray was the only member who voted against the proposal at that
time.
Ann Pierce, who called herself “a child advocate” and
boasted an estimated two decades, between her and her husband,
of involvement in youth sports, referred to the situation as a
challenge.
“My first responsibility is to the employees of this
district before I think about the students’ extra-curricular
activities,” she said.
“I don’t see any other recourse than to start making
cuts. We are in a crisis and we’ve continued to do nothing. We
have to start someplace,” she said, adding the proposal could
save classified jobs.
Board member Gina Henke, who had spoken in favor of the
imposed fees in August, said Price’s comments were “very
persuasive.”
“I feel like I need some time to think on this,” she
told the other board members.
Newcomb admitted that the Civil Center Act should be
reviewed and suggested that the board find out how much
organizations would be willing to pay, if anything, for the use
of district facilities.
Other options to ease the budget crisis that were
considered at the meeting included drilling wells, possibly
combining well use with solar electricity to minimize the cost
of traditional electricity; selling district property, namely
Van Buskirk Field behind the district offices; and
low-maintenance landscaping.
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