Panel backs new school rental fee structure

School Committee · Meeting of August 24, 2026

Watertown's Budget and Finance Subcommittee voted to recommend new school facility rental rates to the full School Committee. Members Lisa Cabocha, Rachel Kay and Kendra Foley approved the package 3-0, raising the custodial fee to $65 an hour from $50 and setting classroom rentals at $5 an hour in every building except the new high school. Presenters Dr.

Galston and Ms. Givens said Watertown's $20 classroom rate had lagged neighboring Arlington, Belmont and Waltham, which charge closer to $50. The panel left a long-standing $10,000 rental-and-custodial fee cap unchanged, with one member saying, "I just don't want to price them out either," and officials noting Watertown Youth Basketball is the only group to have approached that limit.

The district also will not rent out the new high school's gym or auditorium in its first year of operation.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
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• The complete report — 1,822 words

Source: the School Committee meeting of August 24, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.