Livingston Today

The Brighton Area school board voted to increase fees for usage of their fields, pool and athletic facilities at a recent meeting.

Usage of the facilities is available to students and community members outside of school hours, but for a fee. Usage fees will amount to roughly $50,000 for the year and the district receives $150 million in taxes from the community.

Some of the board members were against imposing these fees and wanted to find an alternative, either now or in the future. They felt that community members and residents already pay enough through their property taxes and the additional taxes that fund the bond allowing for school expansion and renovations. The usage fees are charged to offset the extra utility and service fees incurred by opening the facilities to the public

“I am also encouraged by the fact that there is a differentiation of the fee between Brighton residents and a non-Brighton resident. Brighton residents get the benefit of a lower fee for the use of the pool. So I'm fine with, you know, I'm, I understand the concern that was raised then,” Board President Roger Myers said. “I certainly am receptive to that. I think this schedule overall does a really good balance of the competing interests and how they should be reconciled in whatever charges are applicable to the various facilities.”

The board members reminded residents that it is really only the pool that charges usage fees and touted the discounted fee for Brighton residents. Others said that Brighton is still one of the lowest taxed areas in the state and gives residents much greater access to facilities and provides quality education to improve home values compared to other areas and ultimately decided to approve an increase in fees.