MFISD OKs purchase of new travel trailer, day cab for high school band
Marble Falls ISD Assistant Superintendent of Administration Stan Whittle explains how Clubhouse Trailer Company refurbishes old trailers for band programs nationwide during a school board meeting on March 19. Screen-captured image
The Marble Falls Independent School District Board of Trustees approved nearly $150,000 to purchase a 53-foot travel trailer for the Marble Falls High School band during its March 19 meeting.
“Our band department has been doing a fantastic job,” Assistant Superintendent of Administration Stan Whittle told trustees on Tuesday. “We feel that (the trailer) will set us up in a positive direction for years to come.”
The trailer was custom-built by Clubhouse Trailer Company.
“Clubhouse Trailers has the reputation,” Whittle said. “It’s owned by two dads that were band dads, so they get it.”
It will be completely refurbished and equipped with a spacious interior, shelving to secure instrument cases, customized storage, and racks to accommodate 152 band uniforms, Whittle said.
“This would be a huge improvement for our band program,” he continued. “It’s something that I think our community would be proud of.”
Band Director Tony Leflet approached Whittle about needing a new trailer for the growing program.
“Thanks to (board) approval, they have new band instruments that they’ve been able to purchase in the last few years; however, it has become evident that the current band trailer isn’t large enough to secure and transport all of those instruments,” Whittle said.
MFISD had to rent additional box trucks to transport instruments over the past couple of years.
“On numerous occasions, Mr. (Patrick) Hinson (the Marble Falls High School principal) drove a U-Haul for out-of-town football games and band competitions,” Whittle said. “That led to additional expenses in the band budget, such as rental costs, paying for gas, finding and securing drivers, and so on.”
Trustees voted unanimously to approve the purchase during the March meeting rather than their scheduled April meeting, ensuring the trailer would be in the district’s hands and decked out in purple and gold ahead of marching band season in the fall.
“We want (the trailer) to be pretty flashy,” board Vice President Kevin Virdell said with a laugh. “We want people to know Marble Falls is coming.”
The board also approved a $48,000 purchase of a 2017 Freightliner Cascadia day cab tractor to pull the trailer.