Canton School Officials Review Proposed Fees for New Track and Field Facility

Tuesday night the Board of Education reviewed proposed fees that non Canton school teams would pay to use the new track and multi-use field facility at Canton High School.

No final action was taken but the proposed fees would charge the following to non high school teams to use the multi-purpose field.

Practice
$100 per hour (non-resident teams)
$50 per hour (resident)

Games
$500 per game (non-resident)
$100 (resident)

There would also be a $35 per hour supervisor fee and in some cases other costs such as police coverage or custodians. Under the proposal, the Board of Education would determine what support personnel would be needed. 

""The BOE has an ongoing $88,000 line item added to our budget for field maintenance," Chairwoman Leslee Hill said Wednesday. "The concept  of charging user group fees to help offset this cost has always been part of the conversation on this project. Now we need to determine what is equitable, and what is in-line with what other districts with similar facilities are doing.  We are gathering information and will have further discussion before anything is decided." 

“These usage charges are in line with what other communities charge,” Superintendent Kevin Case said at the meeting.

Teams would also need to have insurance and abide by rules designed to protect the surfaces.

A final decision would likely come to the board for its Oct. 22 meeting, Case said.

School officials did clarify that people in town will be able to use the facility when it's not in use. 

Case also added that contractors are expected to begin laying the final track surface this week. The two-week process was due to begin Monday but was delayed due to weather.

At the question of a board member, school officials reiterated that the town is not paying extra because of the delay in the facility's completion, which was targeted for the end of September.

In fact, the town could be reimbursed under the contract for the work being late but officials say many factors would come into play so an exact amount is not known. 

Town officials are also gathering final information about an expected surplus in the project itself, which late last week was estimated at around $120,000.

Town boards endorsed a plan to pay for scoreboard infrastructure (not the board itself), partially fund bleachers and additional signs and markings for the parking lot. However, some of those items, such as signage, may be more expensive than initially thought. There are other factors that could affect the plan as well. Some neighbors, for example, have requested additional screening. The town has discussed that but not made a final decision.

Last fall town voters approved the $3.6 million project, which included the track and field facility, a new parking lot and other changes.