MILLSTONE — Many residents attended the last Board of Education meeting to protest the school district's plan to charge facility usage fees.

Before the public comment period, the board gave a presentation regarding its reasons for considering such fees.

The board presented the results of a survey, which indicated that 58 percent of those who responded are either satisfied or very satisfied with the educational value offered by the school district, while 28 percent are moderately satisfied.

According to the presentation, the majority of voters rejected the 2008-09 school budget because they believe property taxes are too high. The presentation noted that the Township Committee had to review the failed budgets and directed cuts of $500,000 in 2006 and $250,000 in 2008.

The presentation also noted that the state has established adequate spending levels for school districts. While Millstone spends below the adequacy level on students in grades K-8, it pays over the adequacy level for students in grades 9-12.

The state has determined the adequate level of spending for students in grades 9-12 as $11,289 per student. The Upper Freehold Regional School District (UFRSD) charges Millstone a tuition cost of $12,253 for every student that attends Allentown High School. Millstone does not have its own high school and has a send/receive student relationship with the neighboring school district.

The additional $964 spent on each of the 645 students that attend Allentown High School amounts to Millstone spending $621,780 over the adequacy level for students in grades 9-12. The state penalized the Millstone Township School District for spending over the adequacy level by reducing its state aid this year by $352,738.

The presentation stated that the school district has been trying to save money. Cost-saving initiatives include transportation restructuring that saved $150,000 this year; eliminating balloon exit clauses for administrators; looking into the use of bio diesel for district vehicles; and negotiating the send/receive tuition, according to the presentation.

The board also indicated that it has some revenue generating initiatives, including enrichment programs, Millstone Performing Arts Center events and a cell tower on the middle school property.

The board noted that some items it previously paid for are no longer being fully funded. For example, this year, all students will have to pay for co-curricular activities, which should generate $63,000 per year.

The school district will also start charging students $50 per year to ride the late buses from Allentown High School. As another cost-saving measure, the school district will no longer pay $12,180 for the seventh grade trip to Camp Fairview as the PTSA will fundraise to cover the cost of the trip.

The board noted that it has also delayed the purchase of needed books and other classroom supplies. The board has also delayed spending $250,000 for facility maintenance.

The presentation stated that the board is entrusted with the care and upkeep of school district facilities and that the use of district facilities for non-school related purposes should not generate costs for the district.

"Absorbing such cost dilutes needed financing for educational programs and further risks impact on adequacy ratings which could translate into lose of additional state aid," the presentation stated.

The school district conducted a facility use policy comparison and found Hazlet Township charges between $150 and $300 for eight hours of facility use, depending on which gym is used. That township also charges nonprofits $250 for four hours of facility use. Raritan Township charges $400 for use of a small gym and $600 for use of a large gym for eight hours. Moorestown Township charges $50 for every three-hour block of facility use. The presentation also stated that some school districts charge extra for locker room, sound system and other equipment use.

The school district has created a facility use priority list. Class A users include the Millstone Township School District (MTSD); MTSD community groups, such as the Millstone Township Foundation for Educational Excellence, PTSA, and PTO; Millstone Township youth civic organizations, such as Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts; senior citizen groups; and tax-supported public agencies, which hold public hearings and elections. Class B users include Millstone Township Parks and Recreation-sponsored events; competitive athletic programs, such as the Warriors or Little League; MTSD nonprofit community groups; and MTSD community groups that would fundraise for nonschool benefits. Class C users consist of non-school district groups and organizations.

Currently, the Parks and Recreation Department uses the school facilities for 4,651.5 hours annually, while the school district uses its gym facilities for 4,320 hours. Others use the facilities for a total of 2,723.25 hours.

The school district has proposed hourly fees for Class B and certain Class A users that use the facilities when they are not normally open or when they require specific staff. The fees for these users would be $10 per hour for the cafeteria, $25 per hour for the cafeteria and kitchen, $7.50 per hour for the computer lab, $11 per hour for the gym, $7.50 per hour for classrooms, and $10 per hour for the media center/music room. Users would also have to pay special access fees of $50, custodial fees of $26 and change fees of $20.

For Class C users, the hourly fees would be $35 per hour for the cafeteria, $75 per hour for the cafeteria and kitchen, $25 per hour for the computer lab, $35 per hour for the gym, $20 per hour for classrooms and $35 per hour for the media center/ music room. These users would also have to pay the special access, custodial and change fees.

Board President Tom Foley said the board has replaced its formula for averaging electrical costs based on square footage with an energy calculation based on light wattage and kilowatt hours.

The original formula amounted to a $10.69 per hour fee, or $9.80 per hour without the heat cost element. Under the new formula, the fee is $10.88 per hour, or $9.99 per hour without the heat cost, he said.