MIAA to Seek Fee Waiver for Football Championships From Selectmen Tuesday Night

The MIAA will be back in front of the selectmen Tuesday night in an attempt to gain a fee waiver for the football state championships on Dec. 6.

Last month, the MIAA withdrew their request but on Nov. 20, Richard Pearson, the associate executive director of the MIAA, sent the selectmen documents which he said would be utilized to describe the charitable status of the MIAA.

According to one document, the MIAA received from the Attorney General’s office in 1979, it was determined that the MIAA is charitable.

Another document from the IRS identifies the organization’s deductibility status as a public charity.

On Oct. 28, Town Manager Bill Keegan was informed by the MIAA that they were withdrawing their request for the waiver. Keegan was informed by the group that they are not a public charity.

“There are private entities that serve on their board and they’ve admitted that to me that they are a not a public charity,” Keegan said during the selectmen’s Oct. 28 meeting.

In the past the selectmen have passed on the $2.55 the town collects on each ticket sold at events at Gillette Stadium. Last year, the MIAA requested a fee of $1.47, the amount the town gains on each ticket sold for New England Patriots and Revolution matches. Last year’s vote to grant the waiver failed 2-3 as a majority of selectmen did not believe the MIAA qualified for the waiver.

Whether or not the MIAA is eligible for the waiver has been debated for years. In the stadium lease agreement, the selectmen may from time to time on an application of the tenant exempt charitable events at the stadium from ticket fee payments.

A letter from the Department of Revenue in 2011 said that the town could choose to or not to grant the waiver as there was no legal precedent set for the situation.

Town Finance Director Randy Scollins said in 2012 that he believes that the waiver is illegal because a municipality cannot by law give up money to benefit a private entity according to a legal opinion.

The item is scheduled for 8:40 p.m.