BUTLER TWP — Secondary school student athletes in the Butler School District will have to pay to participate in school sports beginning this fall.

The school board voted 8-1 Monday night to enact the $60 flat rate fee for student athletes in grades 7 through 12. Board member Bill Halle voted against the measure.

A reduced or waived fee would apply for students who qualify for a free and reduced cost lunch.

A total of 710 students in those grades played sports last year.

Athletic director Bill Mylan said the fee would raise more than $30,000 in the next school year.

The athletic budget this year is $1.2 million.

The district plans to use a software program for the online registration process to streamline the payment system.

Marching band members would not be charged a fee to participate in band.

After the vote, Halle suggested that the board reconsider selling naming rights for district structures, such as the football field, to raise money, but the measure was defeated 5-4. Halle, along with Karen Callihan, Neil Convery and Jim Keffalas voted to reconsider the issue.

Late last year board members voted against renaming the football stadium because it already is named in honor of former football coach Art Bernardi.