Marblehead collects $100G in athletic fees

MARBLEHEAD – Athletic fees and ticket sales have saved the School Department an estimated $121,000 in budget money this year, according to a report from School Business Manager Brian Salzer.Salzer told the School Committee that as of Oct. 14 the School Department collected $97,076 in athletic fees at Marblehead High and $14,170 in fees at the Marblehead Veterans Middle School, for a total of $111,246.Home football games on Sept. 16 and Oct. 8 netted the School Department $6,072 in ticket sales.This year’s coaching stipends average $80,000 each for fall, winter and spring sports, for a total of $238,644 – but those amounts are paid in part by athletic fees and ticket sales. Fall sports coaching cost the schools $78,608.”We use a revolving account. We spend the fee and ticket accounts down to pay the coaching salaries and when that money is gone we pay the rest from our operating budget,” Salzer told the committee.Overall, with about 20 percent of the $28.6 million budget spent so far, Salzer was optimistic about school finances.”It appears as though we will come in slightly under (the payroll) budget if all stays steady throughout the year,” he said.There was one area Salzer is keeping his eye on, however.”It is important to note? that we may have underfunded Special Education accounts in staffing, transportation and contracted services,” he said.”This underfunding occurred due to? transportation costs, students (who) ‘tuition in’ and those who require outside placements. As these accounts may change significantly throughout the year, it will be important for me to monitor them and report again midyear.”