The School Committee discussed the implementation of Lynnfield High School’s new policy to charge the public $150 per hour for the use of gyms and basketball courts at its meeting last week. Town resident Jim Crawford was in attendance and opposed the committee’s decision.
Crawford, who has been playing pick-up basketball at the school’s gym for the past decade, said that residents are not happy with the new policy.
“I have met up with various groups of guys over the years that I have played basketball with in high school and there’s never been any fees involved,” Crawford said. “There’s not one person I’ve spoken with, and I’ve spoken to a lot, who agrees with this policy or thinks this was a good policy.”
School Committee Chair Rich Sjoberg said that the fees fall under a new rental agreement policy and are intended to help the school fund facility upgrades. The school board had voted in favor of the fee during spring.
“In the spring we had discussions regarding the new school rental fees as a source of revenue to help lessen the tax burden of the town,” Sjoberg said in the meeting. “And I wish I would have heard from some of the residents who were unhappy with the policy in the spring when this was being discussed over a several-month period.”
Crawford also touched on the raises being given to the superintendent and assistant superintendent of schools — a decision made earlier this month. Crawford said that while the committee pointed out that there was a budget shortfall, it approved a raise for the superintendent.
“You guys are claiming that there is a budget shortfall,” Crawford said during the meeting. “Now you’re charging town residents for public use for buildings they’re already paying for through taxes and at the same time you are also making a very rare move of giving raises when it’s not contract renewal time.”
Sjoberg attributed the raises to wanting to have a consistent foundation of leadership in the district and at the schools.
“During our review of the superintendent’s contract, it came to our attention that in the last year, there were 52 superintendent positions open in the state and the lowest salary being offered to a brand new superintendent was $204,000 — $11,000 more than what Lynnfield is offering its current superintendent,” Sjoberg said. “It was our thought that it would be not only fair to give a raise to the superintendent, but would also help provide consistency in leadership.”
At the end of the discussion at the meeting, Crawford requested the committee to review and reconsider the new policy. The committee agreed to re-evaluate.
