After months of examining drafts, the Macon County Board of Education approved a new fee schedule for the use of school facilities.
The board originally voted during its September 2025 meeting to allow community organizations to repeatedly use school facilities on weekends for up to 90 days, provided the requests are approved by the board. Users looking to continue their facility use beyond that period must reapproach the board to have a renewal request approved. Student and nonprofit organizations often use the public buildings for class reunions, PTA and PTO fundraisers, sports, recreation and charity.
On April 27, the board approved a new fee schedule and amendments to facilities use policy which MCS attorney John Henning had been working on since September. Under the new fee schedule, school-affiliated organizations like teams, clubs, advisors, parent-teacher groups, booster clubs, foundations, class reunions and school-support organizations will be able to use facilities free of charge, unless kitchen use is involved. Additional charges are always applied to kitchen use because the school must bring in kitchen staff to safely operate equipment and pay them wages.
Nonprofits hosting regular meetings (not fundraisers, games or tournaments,) must pay $45 per hour for the auditorium and $50 per hour for a high school theater, $30-$45 per hour for a cafeteria, $45 per hour for classrooms or media rooms and $25 per hour for the band room. Gyms are charged at $30 per hour ($150 per day) for a high school, $15 per hour ($75 per day) for a middle school and $10 per hour ($50 per day) for an elementary school. Stadium fields are charged at $600 per day for high school and $400 per day for middle school.
Fields or open areas are charged at $25-$50 per day, parking lots at $150 per day, field lights at $30 per hour, heating and cooling at $25 per hour per room with a 2-hour minimum on non-school days.
For nonprofit fundraisers, games, tournaments and productions, fees are generally more expensive. The auditorium and high school theater are both charged at $90 per hour, the cafeteria at $65 per hour, classrooms at $60 per hour, media and band rooms at $45 per hour. Gyms are charged at $40 per hour ($320/day) for a high school and $35 per hour ($280 per day) for elementary and middle schools.
Stadium fields are $800 per day and $600 per day for high school and middle school stadiums, respectively. Open areas are charged at $50-$150 per day, parking lots at $200 per day, the track at $100 per day and tennis courts at $75 per day. Field lights and heating are charged identically.
Approving facilities use
Heritage Bible Church is one such nonprofit that regularly uses Mountain View Intermediate to hold services. Representatives of the church previously spoke at the school board’s September meeting to request options for long-term use of facilities.
Justin Bohner, a church representative, gave public comments at the April meeting requesting the church be renewed for another 90 days, saying the church has been actively looking for a permanent facility but unable to find one.
“It’s always been understood by us as a church that our usage of the facility would be temporary. So in the fall of last year, when we began meeting in the gym we’ve been prayerfully and carefully considering other places to rent or things to purchase … we’re continuing to save money, put away money in order to rent or purchase a facility.”
He said the church has been working to try and leave the gym better then they found it after each use.
Following the passage of the new fee schedule, the board approved a renewal under their original terms for three weeks until a new application can be put together by Henning, at which point the church would need to reapply under the terms of the new fee schedule.
The board also approved a facility use application for World Changers, a Christian mission volunteer group which provides construction and service projects to community members.
“They do wonderful work in our community for people, home repairs, especially the kids,” board chair Jim Breedlove said. “My question is … are we also going to make this approval subject to our new fee structure, or do we consider waiving that from the consideration of who the group is?”
Breedlove said he would support waiving the fee because of the group’s history of service in the community. Board member Hilary Wilkes said she would not oppose the waiver since the use is short-term. The board voted to waive the fees 4-1, with member Stephanie Laseter opposed.
“It’s a slippery slope to me,” she said. “I think we’re going to find ourselves being asked about the structure for every nonprofit and I think that’s the only reason. I fully agree with the usage.”
During its May 18 meeting, the school board approved a third 90-day extension for Heritage Bible Church to be able to us the gym at Mountain View Intermediate for services, using the new fee schedule.
MVI Principal Nancy Breedlove said the church regularly checks in to ensure the facilities have been cleaned properly and leaves no evidence they were present at the school.
Jim Breedlove said this would be the last time he would vote in favor of an extension. The chair was previously the sole vote against establishing a 90-day contract for organizations and said he opposes long-term agreements to use school facilities.
The Macon County Board of Education’s next meeting with take place on June 30, at 6 p.m. at the Macon County Schools Administrative Offices.
Shelby Powell can be reached at reporter@thefranklinpress.com.