RES-2014-056 Resolution Supporting Community Use of School Facilities for Recreation

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Res. 2014-056 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING COMMUNITY USE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES FOR RECREATION WHEREAS, many public schools in Orange County contain athletic and recreation facilities such as playing fields, gymnasiums and other similar facilities or areas; and WHEREAS, these facilities are constructed with public funds primarily for the use of students and athletic groups at the respective schools but also may be (and have been to some degree) available when not in use by these groups for community or organized athletics and recreation; and WHEREAS, many school systems and local governments around the country, including several in North Carolina, have successfully developed understandings and agreements to allow for use of school athletic and recreation facilities for athletic and recreation programs operated by local governments for the public; and WHEREAS, in Orange County, the vast majority of participants in these athletic leagues and programs are also students in the respective school districts; and WHEREAS,encouraging participation in athletic leagues and youth recreation activities promotes healthy lifestyles and works to combat childhood obesity, develop healthy exercise habits for a lifetime, and promotes teamwork and cooperation; and WHEREAS, both the Orange County Schools and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools have recently completed reviews and/or changes to their facility use policies which in part served to open new avenues for usage for community athletic and recreational activities; and WHEREAS, it is in the mutual interest of the school systems and the local governments to develop mechanisms that allow for continued and expanded usage of such facilities, when not in use by the schools,to avoid duplication or otherwise unnecessary capital improvements funded by public dollars: NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Hillsborough,the city of Mebane, Orange County, and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and the Orange County Schools pledge jointly to pursue and allow mutually-beneficial usage of recreational facilities at the schools by local government youth athletics and recreation, within the framework of school usage needs. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the parties above agree that usage of such facilities should be subject to a minimum level of usage fees, recognizing the population being served as school system students, and that this level of usage fee be determined either by recognition in the schools facility fee schedule or by interlocal agreement. This, the 4 th day of September, 2014.