Board directs 10% increase in activity-fee revenue to cover budget shortfall

The Concord School District board voted March 30 to direct the administration to increase total activity-fee revenues by 10% for the coming budget year. The motion, moved by a board member and seconded, carried on a voice vote.

Board members said the district currently records about $90,000 in activity-fee revenue and that per-sport charges vary across levels and platforms. “The total revenues from activities fees should go up by 10%,” said a board member who proposed the motion. Administration was given flexibility to choose how to achieve the target rather than requiring a flat 10% across every existing fee.

The discussion highlighted inconsistent fee amounts reported by parents and the district: one parent said middle-school sport fees appeared as $85 on a payment platform while administrative documents list $65 as a middle-school fee. Staff cautioned that waivers, seasonal collections and gate receipts complicate a simple per-sport sum. “It’s approximate,” a staff member said when asked whether the $90,000 figure reflects all collections and waivers.

The board sought assurance that fee increases would preserve the current waiver system for families who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch; a board member noted that waivers apply across activity fees and booster clubs often assist families. A board member who proposed the motion said staff should aim to raise the $90,000 baseline by 10% (about $9,000) and report back with a breakdown of current charges, waiver rates and student counts by sport.

The motion passed and was recorded as “motion carries.” Administration said it would supply a more detailed fee breakdown at the next meeting.

Next steps: the district will return with a sport-by-sport accounting of fees, waiver usage and the modeled revenue impact of proposed rate changes.