Practice Field Sale Proceeds Will Not Go to EHS Band Program

Last month, Easley High School band officials, players, parents and boosters appeared before the school board to ask that proceeds from the future sale of the former band practice field be given to the band program to help meet its instrument and equipment needs.

Easley High School Band Director Patrick Mainieri said the band has struggled to absorb budget cuts over the last few years.

He said many of the band's instruments are far beyond their expected lifespan.

“Due to extreme budget cuts, we have not been able to allocate funds to proper yearly maintenance, due to other more essential financial needs “ Mainieri said. “We have resorted to waiting until the last possible moment to repair an instrument, usually when a student brings it to us broken. There has been no preventative maintenance done to district instruments at Easley High School since the summer of 2008.”

The issue was sent to property committee for further discussion

On Monday, board members said that proceeds from the former band practice field's sale will not go to the band program at the high school, but will be rolled into the general fund.

Trustee Jim Shelton said the property committee recommends that the district follow procedure, which stipulates any proceeds realized from the sale of the former practice field on Pendleton Street revert back to the general fund “with no specific designation.”

The property is not currently for sale, but the board expects it will be sold in the future.

Trustee Ben Trotter, who supported the request and said he believed the practice field belong to band boosters to begin with, said the board learned that state law requires property sale proceeds be rolled into the general fund.