Framingham Disability Commission recommends $8,000 for Karen Dempsey scholarship, pending grant process

The Framingham Disability Commission voted Feb. 26 to recommend allocating $8,000 toward the Karen Dempsey scholarship this year, with the award contingent on completion and legal approval of the commission’s grant application and subsequent review by the Finance Subcommittee and the City Council.

The proposal grew out of a presentation by Mark Dempsey, who described the scholarship’s history and said the commission’s request email had suggested $30,000. Dempsey said past awards ranged from a single recipient in the first year to five recipients last year, and that recent payouts provided roughly $2,000 per student over four years in one model. Commissioners raised concerns about eligibility, distribution and timing — including whether applicants placed out of district or attending private/out‑of‑district schools would qualify under the current criteria.

Treasurer Susie Santone, who led the financial portion of the discussion, said $30,000 would compromise other priorities funded from the handicap‑parking fines account and proposed an $8,000 recommendation this year with a June follow‑up review and the possibility of earmarking leftover funds at fiscal‑year end. Commissioner Cheryl Goldstein and others pressed for a formal grant application and asked that Rachel Erickson from the school guidance office attend a meeting to clarify eligibility rules (for example, whether immediate family members of students or students placed out of district qualify).

Public commenter and council ally Mr. Cannon urged the commission to move forward, saying there is “broad community support” for the scholarship and recommending the commission make a timely recommendation to expedite funding. Commissioners agreed to invite Mark Dempsey back in June to reassess additional funding and to include the scholarship again on the fall agenda for ongoing planning.

The motion to recommend $8,000 for the Karen Dempsey scholarship was made by Commissioner Susie Santone and seconded; the commission approved the recommendation by roll call. The funding recommendation is conditional: the commission will submit the grant application and rubric to the city’s legal office and, upon approval, the matter will proceed through the Finance Subcommittee and then to City Council for final appropriation.

What happens next: The commission will (1) finalize and submit the grant application and rubric to legal for review, (2) present the recommendation and supporting materials to the Finance Subcommittee (FinCom) on March 11, and (3) seek City Council appropriation. If the City Council approves the appropriation, the commission intends to re‑evaluate in June whether additional funds can be added.