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MAMARONECK, N.Y. - Community organizations and other groups will have to pay a fee to use Mamaroneck School District facilities starting in September.
The Mamaroneck Board of Education agreed to revamp the policy on community usage fees to recover costs incurred by schools.
"This was not an easy decision, and it was made only after careful consideration (three years in the making, in fact)," Nancy Pierson, Board president, wrote in an email.
"We deeply value and appreciate the many opportunities that the outside organizations are able to offer the community - both children and adults," she said.
Pierson said the Board has decided to use a tiered schedule of fees so that users assisting the district in providing opportunities which could be considered closely related to the schools curriculum - such as science fairs or school plays - are not charged.
The administration will present the Board with cost structure and fee recommendations that the Board will vote on later this spring.
"We recognize that the additional fees may add a burden to the users," Pierson said. "Behind all of our thinking, however, is the belief that our mission and the sole purpose of school taxes paid by the community is to educate our students."
She added: "In this time of shrinking resources, it would not be responsible for us to continue to subsidize community use of facilities while we are making cuts to our educational programs in order to stay under the 2 percent tax levy cap."
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