Published: March 27, 2008 09:05 pm         

School board denies request to fund CCHS band uniforms

Punch list at SMHS addressed

Twenty years is a long time to wear any piece of clothing.

The Cumberland County High School Band Boosters pointed that out in their letter to the Cumberland County Board of Education requesting new uniforms.

The proposal by the booster club asks for 75 uniforms at $359 a piece, which gives a total cost of more than $27,000.

The BOE voted 8-1 against purchasing the uniforms, with Dan Schlafer, 9th District representative, voting for it. However, the board did decide to assign the director of schools with the task of determining a plan to fund the band and similar school-related programs in the future.

Responding to the BOE's inquiries of where the money would come from to purchase the uniforms, Director of Schools Aarona VanWinkle responded, "We would have to go to county commission and ask to pull the money out of fund balance."

Mary Smith, 7th District representative, showed concern in acting fairly since the BOE did purchase uniforms for Stone Memorial High School upon its opening, but admitted that she didn't know where the funds would come from.

"We have, as a board, in the past established a precedent of helping," said Dan Schlafer, 9th District representative.

VanWinkle said, "Right now, we're allowing each elementary school $500 to outfit all of basketball, football and everybody. That doesn't buy two football uniforms. If we're going to provide uniforms, then we're going to have put some money in the budget to do that."

Robert Safdie, 2nd District representative, brought up that the board refused to purchase $27,000 worth of musical instruments two years ago. Shirley Parris, board chair and 3rd District representative, added that the BEP does not cover items such as uniforms.

"If our funding is held up, we're going to have to use our fund balance, like last year, to operate," Parris said.

The DOS said the BEP formula did not fund beyond the basics, noting they would have to appeal to the county commission for support in funding for new uniforms.

"I feel like we should put it in the budget and ask and say, 'Look, funding body, we need some help proving for our schools,'" said VanWinkle. "We need help providing for every band, not just CCHS' band or [SMHS'] band."

Schlafer added, "You're absolutely right. And the Bible says, 'You have not because you ask not.' And I think it's time to ask."

Schlafer continued, "We are required to provide free and appropriate public education, and yet, we just passed a whole litany of donations that were requested. I remember as a parent how much those donations were. That bothers me. We need as a school system to get to the point where we're not charging people. Public education needs to be funded.

"Cumberland County High School Band is such an incredible representative of Cumberland County. They're all over Middle and East Tennessee and have a strong reputation. We're very fortunate to have some folks who work so diligently," said Schlafer.

Smith mentioned that she heard that the booster club had gone to the county commission to request the funds for uniforms.

VanWinkle explained that the group wasn't trying to supersede anyone in going to the county, but it happened as a result of lack of communication.

"They're wanting uniforms for their students for next football season," she said. "They had talked to me and knew that there wasn't a chance that I could not find any money this year. [CCHS Principal Janet Graham] told them that we'd be able to come up with the funds in the spring in order to have them in the fall.

"They talked it over with their county commissioners, and their county commissioners, to my understanding, gave them advice to come to the commission to ask for funding. Well, they didn't get past the budget committee."

Eventually, the DOS explained, the request was able to get on the BOE meeting agenda. She informed the board that the budget committee would approve the request onto full commission if the BOE agreed to let the money be pulled from fund balance.

Schlafer commented, "We don't hurt ourselves by asking. The worst thing that can happen is [they say] no. If we don't step out, we're going to sit here with that scarcity mentality that's fostered by our county commission."

VanWinkle brought up if they were to approve this, another program could come to the board next year with a similar request.

Hale added, "I appreciate the band boosters, and I appreciate the band and all that they do. The statement in [the band booster letter] that the board has not done anything since 1988 is completely untrue. I believe in [the year] 2000, there were 186 students enrolled in the band that year. I believe we had the largest band that year. We funded around 30-something new uniforms, but I don't believe the dollar figure was anywhere near what this is.

"I want to support all these organizations to some extent, but I think we need to do it at an equal and fair extent. If we do this with 75 uniforms for a 56-person marching band, the football team is going to be here next year saying they want uniforms too. How do we achieve that, and what do we do? I don't know the answer to that. That's why I want to know where the money's going to come from. We need support them. I don't think we can do it at a 100-percent level," Hale said.

It was discussed that parents of students involved other extra-curricular and athletic activities do pay for uniforms and accessories not funded by the school system each year.

• Walter Haile, construction manager, appeared before the board to address the punch list of items needing to be repaired at SMHS. While many of the items are waiting to be fixed, some have been completed or are in the process of being completed.

Haile responded to the list compiled by Janet Brooker, SMHS principal. Haile stated that he was suffering from bronchitis, so Upland Design Group architect Kim Chamberlin spoke on his behalf in addressing the items.

The punch list contained about 17 items including the following: buckling in locker room tile, breaking of door closures, leaks in doors and ceilings, cafeteria loading dock issues, rough floor tile, ballast and battery issues with gym lights and emergency lights, and several cracks appearing in the cement due to natural building settling of the building.

BOE member Hale thanked Brooker for staying on top of the issue, saying he wished such action had been taken from the start.