HEPTO Could Miss Out on Moneymaker Due to School Facility Usage Fees

Don't tell the kids.

The Hopatcong Elementary Parent Teacher Organization might miss out on a big moneymaker this year over concerns of whether it can afford the school district's facility usage fees.

Tulsa Trail PTO President Wendy Sutton said at Monday night's meeting at Hudson Maxim School "because of those added costs, right now it's looking like we might not have" a tricky tray, which brought in about $15,000 last year, according to Board of Education member Michele Perrotti.

Not all that money went to HEPTO. Sutton said the organization split the profits with Little League. Sutton added that two years ago a tricky tray made HEPTO about $10,000.

"We're not going to be charged to use the [high school] gym," Sutton said. "But we're going to be charged for the setup, the cleanup [and] to rent the tables and chairs that we use. [And] if we get a lot of garbage, we might have to take the garbage out."

The school district outlined its facility usage fees policy at last Wednesday's meeting at the high school cafeteria before about 50 Hopatcong organization heads. Many left the meeting without a full understanding of the charges, which began over the last few years after a decade of the school system allowing borough organizations free facility use.

That night, Business Administrator Theresa Sierchio said the charges were a reaction to the slow economy and cuts in state education aid.

Under the new guidelines, HEPTO's tricky tray would fall under the "special events" category, which didn't seem to have clearly defined service charges, such as fees for setting up and breaking down of an event by the school's janitorial staff.

Still, Perrotti said the tricky tray is worth looking into, considering its profit potential.

"I wouldn't expect it to be that significant against how much money you guys make," she said.

Hudson Maxim PTO President Christine Wiemer agreed.

"We should have somebody look into that and see how much it costs," she said.

Sutton said there's another problem. The same member planned HEPTO's tricky tray the last couple years, but the member's children have moved into the Middle School. The organization doesn't currently have someone willing to step into the tricky tray coordinator's role.

"We don't have someone to plan it," Sutton said.

Sutton said HEPTO is always looking for volunteers.