In an effort to provide clarity and transparency to all patrons, we are sharing the following information/documents:
June 2, 2025
Hoven requested complete list of the Potter County Sports Co-op inventory including equipment, uniforms, first aid supplies, etc. from Gettysburg.
Hoven’s Potter County Sports Co-op inventory including years purchased and purchase amount was sent to Gettysburg. Items such as basketballs and volleyballs were not included on the list because of the value.
Hoven requested account balances for the fundraising done by athletes and kept in school accounts in Gettysburg
Hoven requested the name plates that were sewn on the football jerseys
June 3, 2025
Hoven sent Gettysburg their 2024-2025 sports co-op expense/revenue report
June 9, 2025 - AM
Gettysburg sent Hoven the inventory listing & stated it did not include first aid supplies – only equipment/uniforms. Also included the balance of the team fundraising accounts
June 9, 2025 - PM
Hoven compiled a depreciated schedule for the inventory listing of uniforms and equipment sent by Gettysburg. Hoven’s depreciation schedule included a 5 year depreciated schedule for uniforms and a 10 year depreciated schedule for equipment.
Hoven informed Gettysburg of 2 items purchased in 2016-2017 that were not included on the inventory list sent to Hoven by Gettysburg. The purchase price of those two items totaled over $19,000 and were recorded on the 2016-2017 yearly expense report.
The depreciated value of the uniforms and equipment was $34,824.34. Hoven proposed that one-third of the depreciated value ($11,606.95) and one-third of the value of the sports fundraising accounts ($10,066.66) be deducted from the amount that the Hoven School District was billed for 2024-2025 expenses.
Hoven proposed the depreciated value on the equipment that Hoven purchased was $2,401.60 and that Hoven owes Gettysburg for two-thirds of that value ($1,601.15) which would then be added to the end total.
Hoven School District proposed sending payment in the amount of $22,856.64 plus $1,601.15.
June 9, 2025 PM
Gettysburg apologized for missing those 2 items on the inventory.
Gettysburg thanked Hoven for doing the depreciation on these items.
Gettysburg stated, “we feel the $10,066.66 is fair and valid.”
Gettysburg indicated that they feel the sports numbers should follow the percentage of Hoven and Gettysburg athletes that raised the funds for the fundraising accounts (rather than a one-third/two-third split)
A file stating the sports numbers, Hoven’s percentages and dollar amount based on percentage for each sport were included [Gettysburg rounded down all total percentages of Hoven athlete calculations]
Gettysburg stated, “We also feel that it is valid at the end of the coop to bill an administration fee to the Hoven School for all the administration work done for the coop by the Gettysburg School, including purchasing and paying for items, inventory tracking, paying entry fees, collecting fundraising dollars and keeping the custodial accounts, doing payroll and contracts for most of the coop years, amongst other administration items for $2000/year for 12 years for a cost of $24,0000.” and further stated “no rush from our side.”
Gettysburg followed up with a correction of “13 years of the coop for $26,000”
June 11, 2025 - AM
Hoven asked Gettysburg for clarification regarding the statement that they “feel the $10,066.66 is fair and valid” since that amount was one-third of the total amount from the sports fundraising accounts. The $11,606.95 was the one-third of the depreciated value of the equipment and uniforms. Hoven stated they believed Gettysburg meant the depreciated value of the equipment was the amount they felt was fair and valid and requested confirmation regarding that.
Hoven sent Gettysburg adjusted numbers for the sports fundraising accounts noting these adjustments to the numbers previously sent by Gettysburg:
Volleyball account amount did not match the amount sent to the head coach on 10/25/24 [difference of $373]. Head coach said she had not spent anything out of that account since that date.
Girl’s Basketball total athletes number – adjusted because 8th graders were not part of the fundraising and were not pulled up until the end of the season, but were included in the numbers provided by Gettysburg
Non-rounded percentages for the percent of athletes in Hoven & Gettysburg for each team
Rounded percentages for the percent of athletes in Hoven & Gettysburg for each team if Gettysburg preferred the percent column be rounded [Hoven’s proposed rounded percentages were based on the traditional rounding method – anything .5 and higher was rounded up and anything lower than .5 was rounded down (the percentage of Hoven athletes in Gettysburg’s proposal were all rounded down)]
Hoven stated they’d await Gettysburg’s response before moving forward with payment.
June 11, 2025 PM
Gettysburg stated the difference in the volleyball account was that on 10/29/24 t-shirts were purchased for $130.50 and on 12/4/25 JT’s was paid $242.15 for pizza [head volleyball coach told Hoven that the Gettysburg AD had told the volleyball girls that instead of paying them for line judging in Gettysburg she would purchase their end of season pizza – nothing was said about it coming out of their own fundraising account. Head volleyball coach did not recall purchasing t-shirts. Hoven did not want to squabble over dividing the $372.65 that was in dispute, so Hoven disregarded this issue.]
Gettysburg confirmed that the head basketball coach verified that the 8th graders did not do the fundraising. Gettysburg apologized for not realizing that and confirmed that the numbers Hoven stated for that sport were correct.
Gettysburg stated, “the rounded numbers (with the correct amount from the VB account) are fine for these.” [sports fundraising accounts]
Gettysburg stated that as there was nothing in the Sports Coop Agreement for what happens at the end of the coop, they “will agree that the 11,606.95 minus the 1601.15 for a total of 10,005.80 seem valid inventory numbers, but will only confirm that amount when the $26,000 for the administration fee is either confirmed or negotiated.”
June 16, 2025
Hoven mailed the following to Gettysburg:
A breakdown of the division of the coop inventory equipment and uniforms, which Gettysburg had stated was “fair and valid” and dividing the sports fundraising accounts, which Gettysburg had stated, “the rounded numbers (with the correct amount from the VB account) are fine for these.”
This information had been discussed back and forth between the two districts over the course of a 10 day span.
Gettysburg had already stated they felt this was “fair and valid” for the division of the inventory and that “the rounded numbers (with the correct amount from the VB account) are fine for these” for the sports fundraising accounts.
Gettysburg further stated that they “will agree that the 11,606.95 minus the 1601.15 for a total of 10,005.80 seem valid inventory numbers, but will only confirm that amount when the $26,000 for the administration fee is either confirmed or negotiated.”
A letter detailing the specific reasons why Hoven disagreed with Gettysburg’s proposed $26,000 administration fee for the past 13 years and stating Hoven would not be paying the fee.
A check for $24,457.79 from Hoven School District to Gettysburg School District
A copy of the June 16, 2025 documents mailed from Hoven School District to Gettysburg School District can be read here.
July 15, 2025
A check for $2,283.83 from Hoven School District was sent to Gettysburg School District. The two checks sent bring Hoven’s 1/3 obligation minus the one-third value of the depreciated inventory minus the percentage of the Hoven athletes portion of the sports fundraising accounts to a balance of $0 and understood the matter to be settled.
July 24, 2025
· Hoven School District received a letter from Gettysburg School District dated 7/16/25
o Letter states Gettysburg will not pursue their proposed administration fee of $2,000 per year after reviewing Hoven’s response and consulting legal counsel.
o Letter indicates Hoven has an outstanding balance of $17,788.64 and that the cooperative agreement does not authorize “unilateral deductions or adjustments based on inventory, assets, or any other rationale outside of shared expense responsibilities. Claims regarding custodial accounts or depreciated items are not supported within the contract and do not alter your district’s financial obligations.”
o Letter further states, “If the Hoven School District wishes to submit a separate proposal regarding any items outside the scope of the agreement, we are willing to review such a proposal after the outstanding balance of $17,788.63 is paid in full. We make no guarantees regarding the return or refund of any physical property or funds, and any such requests will be considered without obligation.” (emphasis added)
o Gettysburg requested this matter be “resolved in full prior to the start of the 2025-2026 school year.”
A copy of the entire July 16, 2025 letter from Gettysburg School District to Hoven School District can be read here.
August 21, 2025
Gettysburg’s August 11, 2025, School Board Minutes are published on their school website (can be read here) and also in the Potter County News under the heading “School board discussed co-op outstanding balance.” The Gettysburg School Board Minutes state, “The Board discussed the status of the outstanding balance owed by the Hoven School District under the Potter County Athletic Cooperative Agreement for the 2024-2025 school year. The total amount owed to the Gettysburg School District is $44,530.25 and Hoven paid us $26,741.62. They withheld $7,782.83 for custodial accounts and $10,005.80 for inventory. The Gettysburg School District response letter was sent to the Hoven School District on July 15, 2025. To date, no response has been received, and Hoven has not paid their full one-third (1/3) share of athletic expense required by the agreement. After the full amount is paid, the Gettysburg School District is open to negotiating the custodial accounts and inventory amounts. The Board will continue to monitor the matter and discuss further action if payment is not received prior to the start of the 2025-26 school year.”
Hoven’s public response to Gettysburg’s public accusations:
We are confident in the clarity of the Potter County Sports Co-op Agreements and our compliance with its terms every year, including 2024-2025. Since the Potter County Sports Co-op Agreement did not contain provisions governing dissolution, both districts engaged in correspondence with one another over the course of a 10 day span (from June 2nd to June 11th) to determine the distribution of the inventory equipment/uniforms and the sports fundraising accounts (custodial accounts). In accordance with reasonable and customary practice, when an agreement does not specifically outline procedures to be followed in the event of dissolution, the division of assets follows the same proportions used in the collection of those assets. Accordingly, throughout the correspondence between the districts, one-third was allocated to Hoven and two-thirds to Gettysburg for the depreciated inventory and the percentage of students from each district involved in each sport during the 2024-2025 seasons for the fundraising accounts (custodial accounts). As such, in consultation with legal counsel, we continue to maintain that our legal obligation has been met and consider this matter to be resolved.