Student Senators voted Tuesday night to allocate $35,000 of Student Government reserve funds to improve safety at the Flavet Field Bandshell.
The money will be used to add a safety fence and a water line to the facility.
After arrests were made at a Slightly Stoopid concert in March, T.J. Villamil, chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, said the bandshell cannot be used unless certain safety improvements are added.
Villamil said because SG paid for the bandshell, it is SG’s responsibility to maintain it.
The current chain-link fence around the bandshell will be removed, and a new fence with a center aisle will be added so police and medical staff can walk among the crowd if there is an emergency.
Kevin Kleponis, senate leader for the Student Alliance party, proposed to postpone the vote until next week’s meeting so specific information could be obtained for what the money will be used for.
“Throwing [$35,000] to these folks without a serious plan is a misuse of the students’ funds,” Kleponis said.
Senator Jason Tiemeier, who represents the Unite Party, said the bill should be passed immediately so the bandshell can be used by students.
“This is a mandatory thing that has to be done as soon as possible,” he said.
The bill was passed.
Senators also voted to approve a bill reducing the SG-funded academics budget by about $60,000, which funds college academic councils.
With the passing of that bill, the Board of College Council’s budget was reduced by about $35,000.
“Because BOCC has had a history of not spending their money, it was decided that it would benefit the students to cut their budget in half,” Villamil said.
Senators also voted to approve legislation allocating more than $3,000 to student organizations.
