More City Funds OKd for Pops Orchestra

Music from the Cypress Pops Orchestra will once again waft across the Civic Center green, on Sept. 20, thanks in part to the City Council’s additional financial support.

Council members voted 4 to 1 to provide the orchestra with an additional $2,000 for its last concert of the year, which was on the brink of being canceled.

The city routinely provides the orchestra with $1,000 for each performance and contributes free services. Each performance costs about $10,000.

Carl Erickson, president of the orchestra’s board of directors, said the orchestra had requested $5,000 for the last performance.

“We are pleased with what we got, but we still have to go out and solicit funds from private and commercial sources,” Erickson said. “This last show will go on even if we have to use our reserves.”

Councilman Walter K. Bowman, who voted against the additional funds, said, “Pops probably puts on the best show in town, but if you can’t do it, you can’t do it,” he said. “I’m just not sure it’s the role of government to be financing these groups.”