TERMS
The BOOKER is the person hiring bands and callers.
LOCAL bands and callers live in greater Columbia and some of these bands have members on our board. Local bands and callers receive no travel money.
Out-of-town [OOT] bands and callers can receive travel money.
For the purpose of this document, Out-of-town callers or bands consists of callers or bands who are further than 45 miles from downtown Columbia, S.C. (downtown being defined further as the center of the intersection of North Main Street and Gervais Street, Columbia S.C.
TRAVEL
Travel money is paid at the rate of $5 per 30 mile trip for one vehicle going one way to Columbia from the city of origin. If the band and caller are hired "as a unit", we DO NOT provide separate travel money for each. If band and caller are hired separately and come separately, each is allowed one vehicle's worth of travel allowance. In other words, there are no increases in travel pay if a band (or a band and caller combo) brings more than one vehicle. The booker, not the hired entity, determines the travel amount.
BAND GIGS PER SEASON
The Board has the goals of maximizing the variety of music at our dances, while also supporting and hiring local bands. Some board members are also members of local bands, creating a potential conflict of interest. These goals are balanced by the following guideline: No band, local or otherwise, will play more than twice a season. Occasionally budget conditions or an emergency might require this guideline to be set aside, hence the use of the term "guideline". If our budget is tight, we will seek six local band gigs that season. If we have more money, we will seek four local band gigs, and six [different] OOT bands to get more musical variety.
SOUND ENGINEER PAY
Sound engineer compensation [includes rental of some privately owned gear] is $35 per dance event [amended spring 2014 to $40.]
LOCAL BAND PAY
Local band member pay is $35 per person, with a band maximum of $140. The per-person rate is a guideline, while the local band maximum of $140 is fixed, and should not be exceeded unless written approval is received from the current president of COTMD. This means that the booker can pay a two person local band $140 [$70 per person] if that seems appropriate, or is needed to secure the services of that group.
OOT BAND PAY
OOT bands will normally be offered a base rate of $200 to $240, plus travel as outlined above. The per-person rate is not specified. The maximum amount that can be paid to an OOT band [without approval from the president] is $280. This allows us to pay a band from as far away as Atlanta $240 plus $40 for travel. The booker has the discretion to compute the travel money, and hire the band for a fixed fee without explicitly breaking out the travel amount.
LOCAL CALLER PAY
Local callers are paid a maximum of $45 per dance.
OOT CALLER PAY
OOT callers are paid $80 plus travel. The maximum amount that can be paid to an OOT caller [without approval from the president] is $120 (assumes a caller from Atlanta who is paid $80 plus $40 travel.
