The Riverside-Brookfield High School marching band will be marching on the Fourth of July after all. Last night at the District 208 school board meeting Interim Superintendent David Bonnette announced that the RB band will march in both the Riverside and Brookfield Fourth of July parades as they have for years.
“It is our intent to be in both parades,” Bonnette said. “We have secured outside funding to make this possible.”
Earlier, the administration had decided the band would not march in the parades as a money saving move.
Bonnette said last night it cost RB $1,465 for the band to participate in the two parades last year. The Landmark had reported a week ago that it cost RBHS $800 to participate in the parades based on information Bonnette provided to the Landmark at that time.
On Wednesday, Bonnette said that the net cost to the district last year, after reimbursements, was $465.
This year RB will be paid $700 – $400 from the Riverside Friends of the Fourth Committee and $300 from the village of Brookfield – for the bands participation in the parades.
The rest of the cost will be borne by an outside source.
Bonnette would not say who is providing the remaining $765 except to say it is not from school sources.
“It’s an outside source, and that’s the extent of my comment,” Bonnette said.
