The policy to be reviewed by the Board Wednesday night includes fees for Class 2 and Class 3 users. Class 2 users include community sponsored groups, Youth Groups and organizations, Non-profit groups not affiliated with a religious organization. The Class three groups include commercial enterprises, religious organizations, and fundraising activities that do not directly benefit the Amador county Unified School District. Class2 groups, under law, can only be charged a direct cost, in other words the cost incurred by the district for groups to use the facility. This would include the use of water, lights, other utilities and district staff. The class 3 groups can be charged a higher rate. Although the new rates for Class 2 groups, which includes the majority of youth sports groups in the county, are based on costs incurred by the district, for many groups which have been paying nothing or only a small amount the new fees will be an increase. For example youth football has been paying the district for the use of the two high school fields. The amount paid in past season has been 1500 dollars.

That amount for the football field use should remain near the same, however now the fees will be charged on a per day use at 300.54 dollars per day. If stripping is needed the cost will be 563.32 per day. The big difference for teams is that the new charges also include fees for practice. In the case of youth football this will add 1000 to 2000 dollars in addition to fees already paid. In the case of other youth sports programs that have been utilizing the districts fields and gyms for free, this will be a large impact to already cash strapped the costs will be determined depending on the classification of the group requesting the facility. Costs will run according to facility type; for a field the cost is 9.00 per hour, the gyms 12.00 per hour and the tennis courts are 3.00 per hour. The monies paid to the district will then be divided to pay for electricity, water, and the actual costs of usage. According to Asst Superintendent In Charge of Business Services Barbara Murray, this policy will allow the district to maintain the districts fields and facilities which are heavily used. The facilities do not receive any rest or break times all year long and that make their maintenance all the more critical states Murray. If adopted, the policy will take effect July 1, 2007.