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Board OKs $432,000 instrument purchase for band program; approves budget amendment from fund balance
Summary
Lancaster ISD trustees approved a $432,000 purchase of band instruments to serve multiple campuses and amended the general fund budget to fund the purchase from fund balance.
The Lancaster Independent School District Board of Trustees on March 27 approved a capital outlay recommendation to purchase band instruments across multiple campuses for $432,000 and separately approved a budget amendment to use fund balance to pay for the purchase.
Kimberly Simpson and capital outlay committee members told trustees the district's last major instrument purchase dated to 2013 and that a recent assessment by the Fine Arts Department found many instruments in need of repair. The committee proposed a $432,000 purchase to buy roughly 70 instruments spanning percussion, woodwinds and brass for Lancaster High School, BAMO and Lancaster Middle School to reduce the current practice of moving instruments between campuses.
Simpson said the purchase price includes warranties and that the Fine Arts Department will develop a rental option and a student participation fee for middle and high school band students to support maintenance and uniform cleaning; staff emphasized no student will be excluded for financial hardship and that student services will assist families in need.
Trustee Nichols moved the capital outlay recommendation; Trustee Hamilton seconded. Board secretary announced the motion carried unanimously.
Following that approval, Chief Financial Officer Dana Shaw Moseley presented a budget amendment to move $432,000 from the general fund balance into the appropriate functions: $108,000 to instructional (function 11) and $324,000 to performance/fine arts (function 36). Trustee Morris moved the budget amendment, seconded by Trustee Cluis; the board approved the amendment unanimously.
Trustees asked whether the district planned to repair or retire older instruments; staff said some repaired instruments will be kept and that finance and facilities would examine options for the remainder. Staff said immediate purchases are needed to ensure students have instruments and to stop the continual transport of instruments between campuses.
