Athletic Clubs Seek Town Help with Yorktown School Usage Fees
The pleas from some members of local athletic clubs for the Yorktown Town Board to help convince the Yorktown School District not to impose usage fees for playing fields and building space appeared to mostly fall on deaf ears last week.
Representatives from the Yorktown Youth Soccer Club and Yorktown Athletic Club said the additional fees, which would go into effect July 1 and is estimated to cost an extra $60,000 to $80,000, would likely result in decreased membership and higher registration fees.
According to a facility use report compiled by the school district in October, the district was reimbursed $53,000 for custodial overtime costs by eight non-profit community groups last year, but now needs to recoup funds for the use of its facilities, citing increased costs for electricity, heat, upkeep and the “accelerated depreciation” of buildings and fields.
“In times of economic distress, such as we are experiencing now, including a 2% cap on the tax levy, a reduction in state aid, an increase in unfunded mandates and tax certioraris, we can no longer afford to cover the entire expense of the clubs use of our school property,” declared Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ralph Napolitano. “We have done our best to support local extracurricular organizations when using school property; however, the district supports more than 50 athletic teams and 75 clubs of our own. Within the confines of the state imposed 2% tax levy increase we no longer can continue without siphoning money from our instructional programs.”
The Yorktown Athletic Club made the most use of district facilities last year, according to the district, followed by the Yorktown Youth Soccer Club and Mohansic Girls Basketball Club. Other organizations that would be affected by the district’s plan would be the Oxygen Volleyball Club, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and SPARC programs.
The town’s Parks and Recreation Program was also originally included in the usage fee proposal but a meeting between Yorktown Supervisor Michael Grace and Councilman Dave Paganelli with school officials apparently convinced the district to change its mind since the two entities share several services.
Grace told the athletic club representatives he didn’t have a problem with the fees proposed by the district and didn’t think they would create a problem for families. Al French of the Yorktown Youth Soccer Club feels otherwise, stating in a January 20 memo to the Town Board the district’s proposal would cost each player an additional $40 to register.
“Only a third of our club membership annually uses school district facilities. Therefore, under the proposed fee schedule for the YYSC the cost per player would be an additional $40. This is significantly more than a “hot dog and Gatorade” as has been stated by Supervisor Grace on his public access TV show “Grace Notes” and at the work session,” French stated. “We know that YAC, MGBC and YYSC have essentially the same players in each club. Therefore, our member’s families will be paying duplicating fees amounting to in many cases hundreds of dollars depending on the number of sports played and number of children per family. And all of this for youth recreation programs that virtually everyone (other than the school district administration) feel we already pay for in our town and school taxes.”
“The school district has for 10 years attempted to impose user fees on both the Town and club programs (for always different reasons). The current “2% excuse,” “Law Theory,” “Town Rec. Program Exemption,” “Rules of Engagement” and the proposed “lower teaser fees” are all part of a deceitful but cleverly orchestrated cynical and misleading attempt to win over the support of town officials,” French added.
Councilman Nick Bianco said the clubs have a legitimate beef with the Yorktown School District, especially since the Lakeland School District doesn’t charge and has no plans to charge organizations to use its fields and buildings.
“This goes back 10 years. Certain people in the Yorktown School District have been pressuring the town and sports clubs to pay more. All of a sudden they say it’s a gift and other legal garbage,” Bianco remarked. “Nobody is complaining but the Yorktown School District. They’re looking to make money. I feel for these sports clubs.
Bianco and Councilman Terrence Murphy suggested the clubs have their members appear before the Board of Education en masse to voice their concerns, an effort they would fully support.
“They want us to fight the school district and I have no problem with that. They have to fight themselves as well,” Bianco said.
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