A Columbia school board member wants district officials to look into raising building rental fees to generate extra revenues.

Michelle Gadbois raised the issue at the May workshop of the Board of Education and plans to discuss it in more detail at the school board’s meeting Monday. Her goal is to make sure the district is not losing money by renting school facilities to community groups too cheaply.

"The district should not be losing money," she said. "Lease rates must be based on a tabulation of true costs, including janitorial services, maintenance and wear and tear on facilities. If a lease is to be awarded, why not make money?"

Some Columbia Public Schools officials argue that the schools are public buildings and should be available to groups at minimal costs.

"It is our belief and this board’s belief and commitment that these buildings belong to our public," Superintendent Phyllis Chase said. "They helped pass the bonds that helped pay for the buildings."

Other than recovering operational costs, the district would "never want to discourage our buildings from use by the public," Chase said.

Building charges now are based on clean-up, utilities and facility supervision. Costs range from $23 for three hours in a classroom to $115 for three hours in a gymnasium.

Board member Don Ludwig said he wonders whether those fees recover indirect costs as well as operating costs. He said he’d be open to a discussion about increasing those fees, although Ludwig said trying to determine actual costs might be an accounting nightmare.

School policy prohibits buildings from being used for personal profit, but Gadbois said churches that use school facilities while raising money for their own building projects are, essentially, profiting from the district’s low rates.

The Crossing, an Evangelical Presbyterian Church, is leasing the Rock Bridge High School auditorium for Sunday services. The annual $66,000 lease is set to expire at the end of this month when the church moves into a new facility.

While renting the Rock Bridge space, the church has raised $1.9 million, according to its Web site.

"A church is making money if it’s cheaper to rent one of our buildings as they raise money to build," Gadbois said. "I commend them for wanting their own space, but in reality, is that behavior we as a district should be engaging in? Or should we be raising money and investing it in our schools?"

Groups that prosper from the school’s cheap rental costs do so at taxpayers’ expense, Gadbois said.

Board member Steve Calloway doesn’t see it that way. Taxpayers already pay for school buildings, he said, so charging more in rental fees would be asking them to pay twice.

"Schools are places where education takes place but also places where the community comes together," Calloway said.

Gadbois said she appreciates that sentiment, but she said some taxpayers would prefer to pay a smaller tax levy and have those who use the buildings pay for the extra use.

The Missouri School Boards Association doesn’t have a recommendation regarding building rentals, spokesman Brent Ghan said.

"We maintain the policy for about 150 districts, and to tell you the truth, they’re all over the place," said Kelli Hopkins, MSBA director of policy. "Many allow use of their buildings free of charge; many charged based on what facilities are being used; and some of them, I would guess, generate some profit."