Halifax County Public Schools voted to implement a $75 annual access pass for select community facilities — specifically the tennis courts and walking track — and set policy details including background checks, issuance of a pass with an identifying number and restricted hours.

Board members described the program as a way to reopen community spaces while addressing security and maintenance costs. The board’s presenter said the $75 fee “is to help cover the cost of the little badge thingy, but mainly security because we will have increased security at later hours.” The plan requires pass holders to carry the issued pass while on school property; staff will perform volunteer/background checks for people who assist with supervision or volunteer duties. The board emphasized the program is intended to break even on security and pass production, not to generate revenue.

Policy details discussed and confirmed during the meeting:
- Annual fee: $75 per person; requires yearly renewal.
- Access: dawn-to-dusk; not during school hours; pass required on-premises at all times.
- Verification and enforcement: passes will be numbered; staff will ask people without passes to leave; repeated violations will be handled case-by-case and may lead to revocation of access.
- Volunteer/background checks: volunteers or those supervising users must complete background checks that can take several days to process.

A board member summarized enforcement expectations: the district is not acting as law enforcement but will ask noncompliant users to leave; repeated or serious infractions will be reviewed individually. During the voice vote, members called for approval; several said “aye” and at least one member said “no” when the chair called for opposition. The transcript records the motion to proceed and the subsequent voice vote in favor.

Staff said the program will initially apply to existing outdoor facilities (old tennis courts by the road behind the hospital, the walking track) and will be revisited after the new athletic complex is built and fenced; the board noted future changes could include different fee structures or access rules for the fenced new stadium complex.