Athletic user fees in Saugus may rise again

SAUGUS – Athletic user fees could be rising if the Saugus School Committee votes to approve a recommendation made by the Athletic Subcommittee.Fees for football and hockey would go from $350 to $400 while second-tier sports like soccer, basketball, volleyball or baseball would go up to $375, and third-tier sports like track and cross country would cost $275, according to the new athletic budget.In addition, students receiving free lunch would pay $250 while students on reduced-price lunch would pay $300. The reduced-lunch fee was $100 last year.Despite the increase in fees, Finance Director Pola Andrews said there would still be a $7,000 deficit in the projected $332,000 budget.?We raised the fees and, yes, we?re still looking at the deficit …” she said Wednesday afternoon. “If we can keep in these measures and not having a $100,000 deficit, we will most likely have a $7,000 deficit.”School Committee member Arthur Grabowski noted increasing fees would be the only way to maintain the athletic program.?There?s certainly no way to run the program you have now, with the fees the way they are now, without cutting …” said Grabowski. “It creates a tremendous burden, but there?s no other way to do this.”Grabowski also said he wasn?t happy to be spending $100,000 from the education budget to pay for last year?s athletic expenses in light of the department?s tiered reductions.?That?s two teachers,” he said. “And I?m really upset having to do that because I don?t want to neglect education for sports … I?m not saying sports aren?t needed, but it?s not critical … I don?t want to get into that same position next year where we have to transfer money to just cover athletics.”However, Nelson said the athletic program serves 300 kids per season and noted that athletics have taken a $100,000 hit over the years in revenue losses.?We just keep getting hit and hit and hit,” said Nelson. “Our user fees and going up, possibly, and our services are going down.”Superintendent Michael Tempesta said he agreed with Grabowski?s concern about focusing on education, saying “it?s a privilege not a right to have substantial programs,” but he also noted that the athletic budget is already at “bare bones.”?It?s exclusionary to a lot of kids,” he said. “The last place I would be looking to cut is a teacher … but conversely … looking at the staffing structures, I?m confident that over time when more classes are fully subscribed … that we can offset this in the future and it won?t be as exacerbated a problem.”Tempesta also added that there?s “no quick fix” for the problem.The subcommittee also discussed how to raise money for athletics through signs at the town?s athletic fields. Selectman Julie Mitchell said she would look into how to move forward with the idea.The full School Committee is to meet tonight at 7 p.m.