By EMILY SPARACINO / Staff Writer

CHELSEA – The Chelsea City Council voted during a Nov. 3 meeting to release up to $5,000 of budgeted funding for Chelsea High School immediately.

Following a 20-minute discussion in a pre-council meeting, the council decided to release up to $5,000 of a $20,000 sum in the city’s budget that is allocated to CHHS for special projects.

When and how the funding is used at the school is CHHS Principal Wayne Trucks’s decision, but Councilwoman Alison Nichols said her understanding is the money could be used to help pay for the CHHS Marching Band to travel to Mobile for the school’s varsity football team’s game against Blount on Nov. 6 in the first round of the 6A playoffs.

Mayor Earl Niven said the city’s budget includes special projects funding for each of Chelsea’s five schools – $5,000 at the beginning of the year for classroom supplies, plus $20,000 more toward the end of the year.

He said the council was going to give CHHS its funding at the end, or whenever Trucks indicated a need for it; however, in order for the school to have access to the $5,000 this week in the event Trucks approves for the band to utilize it, the council had to vote to release the funding immediately.

“We would need the school to realize this ($5,000) is part of their $20,000,” he said.

During pre-council, Nichols spoke in favor of the council releasing the funds to the school for the band to have access to them.

Councilwoman Juanita Champion read part of the state constitution from an Alabama League of Municipalities publication that prohibits municipalities from giving money to non-municipal organizations, such as a band booster club, which is a private entity.

The city is allowed to give funding to public organizations, including schools, Niven said.

“We need to keep in mind we’re told what we can do, and those duties are limited to what the state code says,” Niven said. “I hope everybody understands our position.”

Nichols said the band’s traveling expenses for the playoffs is estimated to total about $3,400 ($18 per student).

“It’s an awesome opportunity, and I hope we have a lot of people go down there and cheer them on.”