Davis High School’s Performing Arts Spectacular on Sept. 23 and 24 attempted to raise revenue for the general upkeep of the Davis High School Auditorium. The fundraiser earned a little over $5,000, only about half of what is needed for the 2011-2012 school year.

“I’m not sure where we will make up the difference.  I am so grateful for the money that we did earn, and consider it to be a huge success,” said Technical Director Chad Call.

Davis High School received half of the money earned through renting the auditorium up to the 2010-2011 school year. “Davis used to pay the expenses [for running the auditorium] and then the district and the school would split the leftovers,” said Assistant Principal Richard Firmage. “The district was losing money because not all of the schools would send in their money for the district.” Firmage said that with the changes, schools in Davis School District first had to send all of the money earned through building rentals to the district. Then, the district would redistribute the same share of money as before the new policy to individual schools. Firmage said that Davis has sent in a request to receive their share of the money, but has not yet heard back from the district.

“We a

re funding supplies and other necessary items for rentals out of school funds which are not replenished through building rental means,” said Call. “I know the custodial [department] is facing similar problems with running out of funds to pay janitors to clean the building and keep up on supplies when nothing is recuperated from the district’s end to pay them to clean the building when they are in fact charging a cleaning fee to their rentals.”

While Davis School District has taken over the responsibility for building rentals, it has not impacted Call’s workday. “It has actually added hours to my week to keep track of the extra information the district needs,” said Call.

However, with the district in charge, Davis lost the ability to negotiate contracts with potential clients. “We would give a break here and there,” said Firmage. “Now there is a flat rate.”

“The increased rental rates drove away a lot of business and the hours of rental last year were down 40 percent from the year before as a result. The district has now made it more expensive to rent a high school auditorium than it would be to rent a full equity theatre,” said Call.