Board of Ed to charge usage fees

For outside organizations and private schools looking to use some of the Lynbrook School’s fields, they will have to come up with a few more dollars.

The Lynbrook Board of Education voted to amend the district’s field usage policy, which will now includes a $500 fee per season for community organizations and private schools that use fields where external bathrooms exist.

If additional charges, such as security and/or custodial, are needed, additional charges will be made.

An external bathroom is a facility that is accessed from directly outside so one does not have to enter one of the buildings to use it. External bathrooms are currently present at South Middle School and Marion Street Elementary School. After construction is completed at North Middle School, external bathrooms will exist there as well.

“We have traditionally charged outside groups for the use of our buildings,” said Paul Lynch, assistant superintendent for finance, operations and information services. “As the services that are offered to groups using the fields have increased (e.g. use of bathrooms) the district is seeking a way to defray some of the costs associated with those services.”

The services include maintenance and custodial costs associated with keeping the external bathrooms open on weekends or at times where school is not open. At the June 11 meeting, Trustee Heather Hanson assured the district that the fee would not be a revenue maker and that it is made to keep up with custodial costs.

In a letter sent to the Board and shared with the Herald, John Reid, a coach of the Lynbrook Cyclones U-14 baseball team, said that the usage fee is unfair to taxpayers.

“This usage fee makes no sense,” his letter reads. “Let me give you a comparison: I sell you a car. After you pay me, I then turn around and charge you a fee to drive it.”

During the vote, with Trustees Alicemarie Bresnihan and Catherine Papandrew absent, the board approved the change 4-1 with Trustee William Belmont voting against it.

“I would have preferred if we had waited until after the flux of next year,” Belmont said. “With all the buildings under construction, there’s still an uncertainty as to where teams will go for next year. I think it causes confusion. The following year [2015-16] when we hopefully will have our facilities, hopefully our fields are all there, I think there are some questions as to which organizations will have access.”

The District’s Capital Projects, which include an extension to North, renovating South’s track and tennis courts and a girl’s bathroom at West End, have started.

At North, a construction fence has been built and Lynch said that the project is on schedule. A music room, an elevator, team rooms and external bathrooms are involved with the project at North.

According to Lynch, demolition to South’s track and tennis courts will begin next week and the bathroom at West End has been roughed out.