A discussion about split ticket prices and the possibility of a grant program to ensure all students have an opportunity to attend musicals at Burnsville High School led to three separate votes during a 30-minute debate about raising ticket prices.

Two votes on amended proposals each failed in a 3-4 vote, before the original proposal passed in a 4-3 vote. And, as the curtain closed, the School Board passed both the increase in ticket prices for musicals and the cost of a daily parking pass.

The “three” in each of the votes were Directors Ron Hill and Todd Johnson and Treasurer Nancy Banyard, while Chairman Dan Luth, Vice Chairwoman Vicki Roy, Clerk Gail Morrison and Director Sue Martin were in the “four” group.

“It’s never easy to increase fees on anything,” said Luth. “I’m not sure I believe that’s an onerous fee increase.”

When Assistant Superintendent Aldo Sicoli presented a run-of-the-mill recommendation for fee increases of 50 cents for a daily parking pass (raising the cost from $1.50 to $2 per day) and $2 for tickets to attend musicals at the Mraz Center (raising the price from $8 to $10), he was not expecting the discussion that transpired.

“They’re just concerned about whether students can afford to attend school events and that’s a good thing,” Sicoli said.

In making the recommendation, Sicoli told the School Board that the Mraz Center ended last school year with a deficit of about $3,000. He also noted that prices for high school musicals range from $8 to $15 in the metro area.

Hill was concerned with settling the Mraz Center debt on the backs of students.

“It’s still the best deal in town at $10,” Roy said.

The cost for other theatrical productions will remain at $5 per ticket. Increasing ticket prices for musicals was based on the fact that they are more expensive to produce, according to Superintendent Ben Kanninen.

The debate over the increase included a proposal to keep student ticket prices at $8 and raise the cost for non-students to $10 or to $12. Both of those votes failed.

Martin said that raising the price of tickets for two productions a year shows the School Board is being budget conscious and noted that, because the ticket price was in concert with other districts, she supported it.

Roy said she was reluctant to make two tiers of pricing but would support a caveat to find ways to provide for all students to have a chance to attend – such as allowing them to serve as ushers so they could also watch the production.

Kanninen noted that fees throughout the district must be voted on by the School Board and those fee scales then become district policy.

Ruth Anne Maddox can be reached at rmaddox@swpub.com.