St. Henry kids can get 'gold tickets'

ST. HENRY - St. Henry Local Schools students will have the opportunity to purchase an all-year, all-sport ticket pass good for every middle and high school home game following Monday night's school board meeting.

Athletic director Dennis Wendel during the meeting announced three main changes to the school's sporting ticket pricing. Following a decision by the Mid-American Conference, the price for all high school level sporting tickets will increase by $1. Middle school ticket prices remain unchanged.

The school district opted to do away with student pricing for tickets, so students will pay the same price as adults.

However, students can purchase a $45 pass for all high school and middle school sporting events for the entire school year. The pass will not apply to away games or tournaments, Wendel said.

The passes will work similar to an ID and will have the student's picture, name and a contact number in case the ID is lost. If a student loses their first ID, they can have it replaced for $10.

Wendel and board members said they hope the new year-long pass will encourage students to attend more sporting events.

In other business, treasurer Jennifer Bruns noted the school district's electricity expenses will see an increase of over $16,000 this year after the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio approved a transmission tariff.

Bruns said the school district is a part of the Southwestern Ohio Educational Purchasing Council. EPC officials project the tariff will lead to an electricity cost increase for all school districts that participate in the purchasing group.

Officials projected the transmission tariff will raise the school district's electricity costs by $16,091, Bruns said. That's after electricity costs increased as a whole last year by about $5,100, she added.

"It's something that we obviously cannot control," Bruns said.

"It has nothing to do with our usage total, it's transmission based," Bruns said.

Board members also,

• approved a contract with Mercer County Health District for public health nurse services at a rate of $4 per student for fiscal year 2022.

• approved a one-year limited non-teaching contract to Keshia Willmann as assistant to the marching band director.

• approved a one-year limited non-teaching contract to Sandy Schulze as assistant drama director.

• rescinded the following non-teaching contracts approved on April 12, 2021: Josh Werling, 60% weight room coordinator; Tricia Rosenbeck, 40% weight room coordinator.

• approved a one-year limited non-teaching contract to Josh Werling as weight room coordinator (100%).

• approved the following high school sporting event ticket prices for adults and students: track and field at the gate, $7; boys football season tickets, reserved seats, $35; boys football pre-sale tickets, $7; boys football tickets at the gate, $8; boys basketball season tickets, reserved seats, $70; boys basketball pre-sale tickets $7; other boys sports tickets at the gate, $8; girls volleyball season tickets, general admission, $56; girls volleyball tickets at the gate, $7; girls basketball season tickets, general admission, $70; other girls sports tickets at the gate, $7.

• approved the following middle school sporting event ticket prices for adults and students: adult fall season pass (all boys and girls home football and volleyball games), $15; boys and girls tickets at the gate, $4; adult winter season pass (all boys and girls home basketball games), $20; track and field tickets at the gate, $4.

• established the price of an all-year, all-sport ID pass for all middle school and high school sporting events for $45.

• met in executive session to discuss the potential purchase of property. Board president Andy Fullenkamp said no action was anticipated.