Hernando school board to study family passes, card payments after concession problems

Mrs. Hawkins, a school board member, told colleagues at the Oct. 7 informal meeting that she encountered a severe fly infestation while staffing the concession stand at a Nature Coast high school football game and that families were turned away because the stand did not accept credit cards.

The complaint prompted the board to ask staff for detailed financial data and to schedule a workshop to examine whether Hernando County Schools can adopt a family pass or other ticketing changes to reduce costs for families.

The issue matters because board members said concession revenue and ticket sales are a primary source of funding for extracurricular programs. Hawkins said the flies posed a health concern and that pest control had brought glue traps and ordered fly lights. "They were swarming my face, they were swarming the food," she said.

District athletic director Dustin Kupchak told the board that the district eliminated parking fees this year and raised varsity ticket prices to $10 for most adults; high school students remain at $8. "If you choose to use digital, every gate has a cash option now," Kupchak said, describing the current mix of cash and digital payment options at gates. He said other events are generally $6 at the high-school level and that middle-school varsity events are $6, with other middle-school events at $5.

Kupchak said officials' fees and related game costs have risen and that ticket sales — together with a handful of sponsorships — are the athletic program's primary revenue sources. He warned a family pass could reduce revenue and said the exact impact would depend on pass pricing, how many passes sell and whether passes cover multiple sports. "Yes. I don't know the exact amount," he said when asked whether a family pass would cause revenue loss.

Board members pressed for concrete numbers. "I would like to see numbers as to why we can't have a family pass," Hawkins said, noting neighboring districts such as Pasco, Citrus and Hillsborough offer family passes. Mr. Pender, a district administrator, said he would "talk to Joyce about the data and the money coming in" and coordinate with finance; the board agreed to workshop the idea.

Kupchak told members that a digital family pass could reduce past misuse and abuse if the district chose that approach. He also said single-sport season passes at discounted rates already exist in the district. Members asked Kupchak to compile specific figures on ticket revenue, officials' costs, and any past family-pass programs so the board could evaluate trade-offs.

The board did not take a formal vote. The direction was to gather data and return with a proposal at a workshop so members can "have a valid argument" when comparing Hernando's options with surrounding counties.

Ending: The board's next steps are administrative: Kupchak will assemble revenue and cost data on ticketing and passes; Mr. Pender will coordinate with finance; and the board will schedule a workshop to review the figures and options.