Council approves funding plan and committee structure for Taylor's 150th celebration

City staff presented a multi-year plan on Feb. 13, 2025 for Taylor's sesquicentennial (150th) celebration and the council voted 4-0 to receive the presentation and approve preparatory funding and committee formation.

Ruby (city staff) outlined a proposed structure that would include two citizen subcommittees (heritage and events), a staff working group to manage permitting and procurement, and biweekly committee meetings through 2026. "This collaborative effort would be supported by city staff, elected officials, and citizens," Ruby said, and she proposed the city use both volunteers and a staff working group for logistics and procurement.

Planned activities described by Ruby include: - A library-hosted gallery and a new sesquicentennial time capsule to be buried at the new City Hall and Justice Center (library to assist with submission and a burial event); - A tree-planting effort to mark 150 years (parks department support for planting); - Restoration of a historic fire engine for use in a 2026 parade (fire department interest; funding and restoration timeline discussed); - "Taylor talks" history events supported by the Moody Museum and led by Commander Branson of the police department, who is also compiling a history of the department; - A large November 2026 parade and street festival in downtown Heritage Square and a potential unveiling of the governor Dan Moody statue (museum partnership noted); - Fundraising through sponsorships, merchandise sales (T-shirts, historic postcards), and use of a portion of hot tax reserve funds; Ruby requested council permission to create a restricted revenue and expense fund for fundraising and expenses for FY2025 through FY2027.

Ruby said the Moody Museum and other local partners were interested in collaborating and that some projects (for example, the governor Dan Moody statue) were partially funded already. She asked council to allow staff to set up a temporary restricted fund and pursue sponsorships and merchandise sales; she also proposed using the city's website to collect volunteer interest. In response to council questions, Ruby said the ad hoc citizen committee membership would be assigned by council but staff would create a webpage/form to collect interest submissions.

Council members praised the planning and moved to receive the presentation and approve initial funding steps. A motion to receive the presentation and approve funding passed 4-0 (mover/second not specified on the record). Staff said specific budgets and procurement steps would return to council through the committee process; staff also asked that project feasibility and cost details come back through the appropriate committees.

Next steps: staff will create a webpage/form for volunteer interest, form the ad hoc committees and the staff working group, and return to council with formal budgets and procurement plans as committee work advances.

Votes at a glance: Motion to receive presentation and approve funding/setup of a restricted sesquicentennial fund for FY2025-FY2027; outcome: approved, vote tally reported as 4-0 (mover/second not specified on the record).