The Rio Rancho Public Schools Board of Education approved a 10% increase in facility-use fees and agreed to raise annual parking permits from $50 to $60 during its July 28 meeting, saying the extra revenue will help offset rising maintenance and security costs for school facilities. The board also approved changes to gate receipts designed to direct more funds toward field maintenance.

Board members and staff said the changes are meant to preserve heavily used outdoor athletic fields and other facilities that have suffered accelerated wear. "The labor cost for grounds, for example, not just here in Rio Rancho, but it's really a national trend, has tripled since the pandemic," said Mike Baker, chief operations officer, explaining why the district must increase fees rather than defer maintenance.

The board heard from Todd Resch, the district athletic director, who described a domino effect when fields are taken offline: teams must relocate games, and that strains other facilities and programs. Resch said some fields have already been taken offline for recovery and that the fee increases will help fund resurfacing, periodic refurbishment and security costs associated with large events.

The facility-use fee change is a uniform 10% increase “across the board,” staff said, and parking permits at comprehensive high schools will increase from $50 to $60 annually; principals requested the parking change so local campus funds can support lot maintenance, lighting and security. For gate receipts, the proposed changes include mostly a $1 increase per ticket but $2 increases for some events based on input from athletic leadership; staff estimated the change would bring in about $23,000 in additional gate receipts across all sports per season.

Board members debated equity and community impacts. Board member (and former coach) Gary Tripp said smaller increases on high-ticket items might be appropriate; another board member flagged concern that higher gate prices could deter attendance for brief events. Several members and staff said transparent public messaging will be important. "If approved, we will ensure that we get this information out," Baker said when asked how the district would explain the increases to families.

The board approved the fee increases by motion. Jeff Morgan moved to increase facility-use fees as recommended; Gary Tripp seconded the motion and the measure carried on roll-call votes recorded in the meeting. The board also approved the gate-receipt and parking-fee increases after discussion and motions. No public commenters were registered on the item.

Taken together, board members said, the modest increases are intended to prevent larger, more expensive repairs later and to preserve fields and lots used by students and the wider community. Staff noted turf conversions and longer-term capital projects will require larger, separate funding discussions.

The district plans to publish clear messaging about why the increases were adopted and how collected funds will be used.