County schools are trying to place new limits on how long churches and other outside organizations can rent space in school buildings in an effort to open those spaces up for more groups.
About eight church groups meet weekly in county schools while searching for more permanent homes, said Janet Costanzo, who handles the use of facilities.
Though meant as a temporary measure, some groups have been using school space for up to nine years, said Superintendent Jacqueline Haas.
“We don?t have any real incentives for them to go out and find their own spaces,” said Assistant Superintendent for Operations Joseph Licata. “We require them to show some progress … but the results are sometimes sketchy.”
Licata originally proposed renewing their contracts on a yearly basis with a limit of two years, but members of the school board felt two years was too narrow a window for church groups to find or build their own facilities.
“I have no problem with setting a limit. I just think it should be longer,” said board member Lee Merrell. The yearly contract was a better suggestion, he said.
The board settled on suggesting a five-year limit, but such procedural decisions will ultimately be up to the superintendent, said schoolsspokesman Don Morrison.
“It?s difficult to find a place for our type of organization,” said Larry Sharrow, pastor of Real Life Church, which is soon to be entering its second year of holding services at Emmorton Elementary School.
The school system charges groups to rent a space ? $25 for a classroom for four hours, $250 for an auditorium. Plus, groups must pay the overtime costs for custodial staff and operational costs for air conditioning and electricity.
The fees and limits also apply to other “commercial groups” that use school space on a regular basis, such as colleges or businesses renting classrooms for courses. The limits would only apply to churches and commercial groups, since they use the space on a weekly basis.
