Board to add fencing subsidy for club sports and to recommend budgeting a 2% annual increase

The Fox Chapel Area School District board discussed a $3,000 subsidy request for the high school fencing club and whether to adopt language that would guide future budgets to include a 2% annual increase for three club sports.

During the finance-item reading, the board was told next week’s agenda will include an item to approve subsidies for Fox Chapel club sports, with a new $3,000 line for fencing and a recommendation to continue a 2% annual increase for the three club teams. Ms. Zich said the subsidy amounts were determined by the director of finance and the director of athletics based on typical escalations and enrollment, and noted the fencing team had not previously received district support.

Members debated whether the 2% figure should be a binding approval or a budgeting guideline. “I just would change the language, I think, from approving an annual increase to something that’s a guideline or a recommendation so that you know that you can put that in the budget,” said Chairman Powell.

After extended discussion about timing and whether the district would be committing to future years, several directors agreed to split the item into two parts: (A) a motion to approve the fencing subsidy and (B) a separate motion or recommendation that the district budget a 2% annual increase in the amount of approved subsidies to be incorporated into future budget cycles. One board member summarized the compromise as “approve the budgeting of an annual 2% increase.”

District staff said the wording will inform the finance office’s assumptions for next year’s budget but that final funding will still be approved through the annual budget process. Board members also asked administration to clarify how the club-sport subsidies interact with regular athletics budgets and to present the recommended wording before the vote.

No formal board vote on the subsidy or the budgeting language was recorded during the meeting; both items were placed on the next meeting’s consent/finance agenda for action.