Ending Facility Usage Fees Concerns School Officials

While Hopatcong schools moved closer to ending for the rest of the school year on Monday night, some officials were concerned with whether the district could continue to afford its current spending.

The Board of Education voted, 7-1 with one abstention, to pass the first reading of a resolution ridding the district of the fees for Hopatcong-based nonprofits with a caveat—the nonprofits can't incur the schools considerable extra costs without charges. The school board will have an opportunity in October to pass the final resolution. For-profit and out-of-town organizations will not be exempt from the fees, however.

Frank Farrugia Jr. was the only "no" vote while Michele Perrotti didn't vote due to her involvement in borough organizations, she said.

Facility usage fees have been an sore subject among Hopatcong nonprofits since their implementation last year. Many complained they didn't have the money to pay the fees.

Superintendent Dr. Charles Maranazno said the fees were well-intended.

"Yet they had unintended consequences," he said. "And while the economic tide hit us very hard, it also hit our volunteer groups very hard. And that resentment in the community … they're having a hard time raising money."

So, too, are Hopatcong schools, Business Administrator Theresa Sierchio said.

"We're going to have find the money from somewhere else," she said. "It's always tough to do. The budget—we've only got 1 percent of our budget to spend, which is $300,000. How do you continue to provide services?"

Sierchio said returning the marching band to the budget earlier in the year was difficult enough.

"They just said, 'Find the money,'" Sierchio said. "You may not be happy where I'm going to take it from. … we can't sustain it when w'ere constantly taking away and then adding to [the budget]."

Director of Grounds Neil Piro agreed. He said the fees weren't to keep the schools running, but for the "added consumables."

"Take the Boy Scouts for example," he said. "They come into the high school at six or seven o'clock. That place has already been cleaned. Now it has to be cleaned again. How do I justify that? I have to take that manpower, redo it.

"Something else is going to suffer or we're going to have to pay extra for it. This began at a time where our budget was slashed and there was no opportunity for alternates. We were desperate. It was to simply say, with these additional charges, we're trying to put a finger into the dike."

Piro said facilities have been the first line item cut after each budget defeat and that the high school auditorium and gym are badly in need of repairs. Piro and Sierchio agreed that the school board wouldn't be able to reinstate the fees again next year due to public backlash.

"If you're going to eliminate it, eliminate it," Piro said. "But don't think you're going to put it back next year. The outcry would be tremendous."

Last week, Board of Education President Cliff Lundin said the district hoped to make off the fees during the 2011-2012 school year. He said an unexpected teacher retirement and a reshuffling of athletic department funds by Athletic Director Tom Vara will allow the schools to remove the fees this year.

Board member Joan Reilly said the elimination of the fees would help the district's standing with the community.

"I think it's a good first start trying to get the community and the board back on track again," she said. "The schools belong to the community."

The decision to end the fees would still leave the future of Hopatcong Summer Recreation unclear. The nonprofit day camp, which has seen its attendance drop over recent years, uses district property after the end of the school year.

Maranazno said he believed an agreement could be reached with the summer organization.