School Gyms, Auditoriums, and Multi-purpose Rooms Will Enjoy Extended Hours
The Piedmont School Board has approved extending hours for public use of certain school facilities until 9 pm. Facilities considered include multipurpose rooms. auditoriums, and gymnasiums.
Non-profit groups are allowed under California law to use school facilities.
“The amended Civic Center Act expands the definition of what constitutes direct costs that a school district may charge to include (a) “The share of the costs of supplies, utilities, janitorial services, services of school district employees, and salaries paid to school district employees directly associated with the administration of this section to operate and maintain school facilities or grounds that is proportional to the entity’s use of the school facilities or grounds” and (b) for non-classroom spaces, “The share of the costs for maintenance, repair, restoration, and refurbishment, proportional to the use of the school facilities or grounds by the entity using the school facilities or grounds.'”*
“Actual Costs and Replacement Cost Assumptions For the purposes of assisting the Board in determining a fee schedule that reflects changes allowed under the Civic Center Act, preliminary calculations combining actual costs plus replacement costs for District buildings (gyms, auditoriums, theater, multi-purpose rooms, grass fields, and synthetic fields) will be provided for consideration. Classrooms (per the Civic Center Act), as well as fees for lights, sound systems, pianos, custodial hours, etc. calculations are excluded in determining hourly amounts for actual costs. It should be noted that not all costs (such as utilities) can be tied precisely to an individual site (like the softball field).
The committee that includes Board Members and staff will review the various options for the calculations to be used for the revised schedule.“* Board Report January 27, 2015
Political and non-profit organizations supporting or opposing candidates for public office and/or ballot measures through contributions are specifically prohibited from using public facilities – state, county, city, special districts and schools.
As of January 1, 2014 legislation approved October 12, 2013, prohibits campaigning nonprofit organizations from using public resources and facilities. (CA code Sections 54964.5 and 54964.6)
This bill would prohibit a nonprofit organization or an officer, employee, or agent of a nonprofit organization from using, or permitting another to use public resources received from a local agency for campaign activity, as defined, and not authorized by law. This bill would define, among other terms, “public resources” to mean any property or asset owned by a local agency and funds received by a nonprofit organization which have been generated from any activities related to conduit bond financing by those entities subject to specified conduit financing and transparency and accountability provisions, and “nonprofit organization” to mean an entity incorporated under the Nonprofit Corporation Law or a nonprofit organization that qualifies for exempt status under the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, except as specified. (Legislative Counsel’s digest)
Read a news report on usage.
* Revision made 2/2/2015 to reflect new Civic Center Act allowing additional costs to be charged to users of school facilities.
