Weston trustees press for clearer fundraising plan as Friends of Kennedy Park reorganize

Trustees and staff at the Village of Weston’s Parks and Recreation Committee meeting pressed for a clearer, more frequent fundraising plan for the publicly announced Kennedy Park renovation after the group leading fundraising reduced its involvement.

The committee heard repeated concern that the project, described in the meeting as a $15,000,000 public-facing renovation, has lost momentum after the friends group’s marketing lead stepped back and some deliverables — including an “ask” letter completed last summer — have not been mailed. Committee members requested more frequent coordination between village staff and the Friends of Kennedy Park and asked staff to provide fuller monthly updates on fundraising, grants and outreach activity.

Committee members said they are worried the project is slipping into 2025 without visible progress. Staff replied that the village’s role is to complete engineering and prepare the project for bidding while the Friends of Kennedy Park remain the primary fundraising body. Staff noted that design and engineering contracts with REI are in place, that engineering remains a near-term focus and that staff will discuss a strategic fundraising plan with the Friends group at a meeting scheduled for the coming Thursday.

The committee heard that the Friends of Kennedy Park are not a standalone 501(c)(3) and that, for grant or donor purposes, the group has been operating with youth baseball acting as the fiscal or incorporated entity. Staff said Friends volunteers have pursued several grant applications and donor contacts: meeting participants referenced grant applications to Impact 100, the Juice Family Foundation and the Davis Foundation, although specific award amounts were not confirmed during the meeting.

Committee members asked for more detailed, recurring financial reporting and clearer assignment of tasks so fundraising does not rest on a single volunteer. Staff said the village can support volunteer efforts with communications and engineering readiness but that the Friends must lead fundraising and donor cultivation. Staff also confirmed website materials and draft outreach pieces (posters/postcards) exist and that the ask letter is complete but has not been mailed at the Friends’ discretion.

The discussion closed with staff and trustees agreeing to provide fuller monthly updates: staff will present specific grant amounts and a fundraising timeline after the Friends’ Thursday meeting, and agreed steps include deciding whether to retain a marketing consultant for a strategic fundraising plan and integrating volunteer-driven activities into that plan.

Looking ahead, trustees asked staff to return to the committee with a clearer list of outstanding fundraising tasks, any donor commitments in negotiation, and a timeline showing when the village will be ready to advertise and go out to bid once funding goals are met.