Facilities Policy to be Revised By Board of Ed
Groups whose participants are more than 50 percent Wayne residents would not be charged a rental fee to use district-owned facilities.
Education officials have introduced revisions to a controversial policy that requires organizations to pay to use school facilities.
The Board of Education introduced revisions to the policy at a meeting Thursday. Groups whose participants are more than 50 percent Wayne residents would not be charged a rental fee to use facilities, according to the revisions.
“Once a policy is in place, we monitor the effectiveness and see if there’s any gaps, any loopholes or any problems and adjust accordingly,” said Superintendent Ray Gonzalez. “We’re looking to see that the use of a particular facility is to the benefits of Wayne residents.”
Changes to the policy caused an uproar last year when the Board adopted a revised fee schedule for organization who want to use district-owned facilities. Representatives from Wayne non-profit and recreational organizations, including the Wayne Police Athletic League, Boys & Girls Club, and Wayne YMCA protested the changes at a packed Board meeting.
Joe Lynch, chief professional officer of the Boys & Girls Club, called the policy "outrageous."
District officials eventually negotiated a fee schedule with those organizations. Officials often revise district policies on a regular basis.
“If we’re not doing that, then we’re not doing our job,” Gonzalez said.
The Board is expected to approve the revised policy at it next meeting Jan. 24.
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stewart resmer
8:15 am on Friday, January 11, 2013
I do have to wonder what it actually costs to burn those lights during evening hours at the playing fields?
Joe videodummy
1:55 pm on Friday, January 11, 2013
Field Use permits have been available for "in town" sports through the Rec Department under these same guide-lines for years. Considerations are also made when "club" teams rosters were comprised of a majority of in town players.
The Board of Ed would turn over field use of some of their fields to the Rec Department at certain times during the year, and team organizers would contact the Rec Dept. for field availability, times, dates etc.
With this latest plan in place, it's very possible for team organizers to put together competitive teams and schedules for secondary school travel teams ( 6th-8th grade) in both girls softball and boys baseball in the spring, and girls and boys soccer in both spring and fall that can join leagues that are already organized. These leagues are 'school travel leagues' not 'club'.
Jack Q
2:40 pm on Friday, January 11, 2013
A lot of towns have school travel teams and that wouldn't be a bad idea for the sports mentioned. My guess would be that there would be a drain of talent on the Rec teams. I wonder if anyone knows if the schools pay to use town fields? I know at a minimum that the Valley softball teams use Barbour Pond.