Council Irked Over School Facility Charges

Hopatcong council members say they're concerned the school district has been charging borough non-profit programs to use taxpayer-funded facilities.

And the council plans to let the district know about it.

Borough Administrator Catherine Steinel will ask district Business Administrator Theresa Sierchio in a letter why schools have charged township programs to use facilities for the first time in years.

Steinel also wants to see the schools' usage-fee rubric.

The schools this year charged the Summer Recreation Program $682, according to recreation director Sue Parachuk, for utilizing district facilities, paper and custodians—a bill Steinel and other rec program heads said came from nowhere.

Also, it charged the Hopatcong Warriors youth football program about $1,000 last year for use of the high school football field, facilities, custodians and other amenities, according to president Dan Titus. And according to councilman John Young, the borough's youth track program was hit in 2009 with an approximately $640 bill for similar items after its season ended.

What's more, the school wants to charge the borough $206 to use the high school for a flu clinic later this year. The borough plans to ask the county to pick up the tab, since out-of-town people are encouraged to attend.

"There's a little concern as to why are these fees suddenly coming up now?" Steinel said after a recent council meeting.

"[And] what is it based upon? Is it actual costs or is it … I don't know. I don't want to say completely arbitrary, but is there a standard usage [fee]?"

Sierchio defended the school's actions a week before the meeting: "We cannot continue to do that. We cannot continue to underwrite anybody's program."

"It goes right back to the budget," Serchio said. The state cut Hopatcong's aid by $1.7 million last year, forcing massive layoffs and restructuring. "Who pays for the water? Who pays for the trash? Who pays for the mowing? Who pays for all of that?"

"People are accustomed to utilizing the facilities and not paying for it. That can't happen anymore. … We can no longer do it. Not when our own budget continues to erode."

Stienel and Titus agreed that borough programs would have no problem paying the school if the programs cost it money.

But neither understood the schools' charging methods.

"We're concerned that the kids of Hopatcong are getting charged twice," Titus said.

"If there's already a custodian on duty, why would you charge for a custodian?"  Steinel said.

She continued: "In fairness to [Sierchio], she did tell me when we first put in a facility use ordinance [for the flu clinic] that the hours we selected would cause for a custodian to come in a little early, and that we'd get charged for that. We don't have a problem with that. If it's costing the school more, we'll compensate for that cost. But the Recreation Program (charge) on the other hand, I had no knowledge of. So I have to figure out where we're paying (682) dollars from."

Councilwoman Madaline McManus was incredulous at the fees.

"(Borough programs are) really helping the parents go to work," she said. "I, personally, am outraged by this."

Seirchio said he school system wished it didn't have to charge the programs.

"We can no provide them with anything but the basics without charging back," she said.