By JIM BUTLER

Alexandria Senior High, Peabody and Pineville will again hold graduation ceremonies in the Rapides Coliseum despite having to absorb the costs.

In the pandemic era cost of renting the facility was covered by COVID-related federal funds.

But that well has gone dry.

Supt. Jeff Powell told the School Board this month that $37,100 is the best total he could get from ASM Global, which manages the facility for the Police Jury.

Some board members were taken aback by the quote, essentially wondering why one public agency has to pay such a charge to use another’s public facility.

“Didn’t they commit previously to making it available?” asked Wilton Barrios. Available evidently yes; without costs evidently no.

“It’s unfair to taxpayers of the parish,” he said.

Sandra Franklin said the matter was a consequence of privatization. “There’s no local board,” she noted.

The parish abolished the Coliseum Commission and put the facility under outside management in 2017.

Powell said using the Coliseum eliminates weather issues and ticket restrictions for the events. The schools pay the bill.

Linda Burgess, while lamenting the costs, said conveniences of using the facility make the expense worthwhile.

Barrios and George Johnson voted no on the matter.

The Police Jury meets Tuesday. The matter is not on its posted agenda.