'Shock To The System': Beverly Hockey Fees To Skyrocket Amid Budget Crisis

BEVERLY, MA — A more than 200 percent increase in high school ice hockey student athletic user fees — to $1,000 per student per season — is proposed in Beverly as the district looks to increase revenue in order to mitigate staff and program cuts amid a budget crisis.

Beverly Superintendent Peter Cushing outlined plans to increase athletic fees 10 percent across the board to the School Committee — with hockey families taking a disproportionate hit because of what Cushing called ice rental fees that he said left him "flabbergasted and floored" this winter.

"I said in an earlier meeting, to the consternation of some, that I don't like fees — I don't," he said. "There is a reality that we have to charge them. There is. I am sitting here proposing them because the inverse of proposing these is other reductions that none of us want.

"This district is very thin to begin with."

Under the proposal, hockey would go from a "tier 1" fee of $315 to $1,000. Football would go from that tier 1 fee of $315 to $346.

Most sports, which fit under "tier 2," would increase from $260 to $286. "Tier 3" sports such as cross country, track and cheerleading would move from $210 to $231.

Cushing noted that fees have not increased across the board since 2013 and proposed small annual fee increases of 3 to 4 percent to help mitigate any large increases in the future.

School Committee members expressed concern that such a rapid increase in hockey fees, so quickly, would discourage participation.

Cushing acknowledged that the increase will be a "shock to the system" for many families. He said hockey already has a cost barrier to participation because of ice time, equipment, and other costs unique to the sport.

He said implementing the increase on a graduated basis would necessitate other cuts.

"These numbers have been built to preserve educator jobs," he said.

Beverly High has a co-op girls hockey team with Danvers and Ipswich.

He said that athletics cost the district about $900,000 last year, compared with $200,000 in revenue through gate receipts. He added that other districts, such as South Hadley, are looking at eliminating athletics altogether if a Proposition 2 1/2 tax override vote does not pass.

"I don't say that as a threat," he said. "I say that, simply, as cities and towns are in exceptionally difficult positions with costs that are spiraling out of control, and finding ways to make sure that our core product and the ancillary but really important products (sports and extracurricular clubs) are still there in a robust fashion for our students."

Cushing said the district is facing a $5.97 million budget increase simply to maintain level services and is eyeing "enrollment-based reductions" in staff to help bridge the approximately $2 million gap between that increase and available funding.

"Regardless of the reasons why a position is reduced, there is a person connected to that position," he said. "A person who has a love for what they do, the students they serve, and has responsibilities to themselves and their families.

"Decisions around staffing are not made without considering how this might impact students."

Other fee increase proposals include a $2,000 increase for full-year preschool tuition and a 10 percent increase in transportation fees, which he noted have also not increased since 2013.

Student financial need-based discounts will be available for both transportation and athletic fees.