Saugus sets $350 sports user fee for high school

SAUGUS – The Saugus School Committee voted Thursday night to set high school athletic user fees at $350 and middle school fees at $250 for the upcoming school year.The School Committee also voted to charge students who receive free and reduced-priced lunches $50 and $100 respectively.Parents paid a $250 user fee last season after Town Meeting passed a one-time $60,000 appropriation to lower user fees. But that was not voted on again this year, which means fees will go back to the original $350.School Committee members had previously discussed raising the fee to $400.?The charge that went out ? was to find some money within the budget,” said School Committee member Arthur Grabowski. “We would also lower the fee because we were being inundated with calls from people who didn?t want to pay the $400.”At the Athletic Sub-Committee meeting last week, High School principal Joe Diorio and Athletic Director Michael Nelson recommended suspending the cross country and indoor track programs to further free up funds. Parents and members of the cross country team were present Thursday to show support for the team.?It isn?t that we?re not interested in the program,” said Superintendent Richard Langlois. “We just have to go out and recruit some kids to participate in the program. It all comes down to numbers being able to justify the program. If we can justify the means it will play. But until such time, the program is gone. It just doesn?t exist because we can?t justify paying for it.”The cross country program costs $5,000 to maintain. Last year 14 student athletes ran cross country. This year, however, just six kids have committed to the team and Financial Manager Sam Rippin said at least 20 would be needed this year to offset costs.School Committee member Joe Malone said he supports the cross country program since he participated in the sport when he was in high school.?Forty years ago and 40 pounds ago I was a cross country runner,” said Malone. “So I sympathize with these folks. It was a very valuable experience. It really is a valuable part of their education. I would actually vote to increase the fees to maintain the cross country and indoor track programs.”Grabowski said that if the team can recruit at least 20 runners, the program could be reinstated in the fall.The School Committee will meet again on Aug. 11.