Southborough Youth Commission approves $1,000 transfer to Friends’ camp‑scholarship fund

The Southborough Youth Commission voted on Jan. 13 to transfer $1,000 from the commission’s donation account into the Friends’ winter‑wishes camp‑scholarship (campership) fund to help pay for camp scholarships this year.

The motion — recorded in the meeting transcript as moved by the member identified in the record as Speaker 3 and seconded by Speaker 6 — passed by roll call: Susan Beyer — Aye; Sarah Mikas — Aye; Karen — Aye; Nancy Sutton — Aye. The commission chair called the vote and the motion carried.

Background and context: commissioners discussed current balances and needs before the vote. A participant reported the Youth Commission donation account held approximately $5,029.56 and that the camp‑scholarship pool stood around $7,000 after winter‑wishes expenditures. Commissioners noted fundraising for camp scholarships has been inconsistent and said Friends will need to ramp up efforts to meet anticipated demand.

During discussion, the director (Sarah) cautioned that the department faces an upcoming office relocation to the Flag School site and associated one‑time furniture and setup costs that are not yet budgeted; commissioners noted those future needs when weighing the transfer.

How the transfer will be executed: commissioners discussed town finance logistics and were told the usual process is for a town department to issue a check that is then deposited into the Friends’ account to fund camp scholarships. One commissioner said town staff indicated the transfer is fairly straightforward administratively.

Outcome and next steps: the motion passed on a roll‑call vote, and commissioners agreed Friends would increase fundraising efforts and coordinate with Recreation staff to confirm exact camp‑scholarship needs. The commission did not specify any conditions or earmarks beyond the stated purpose of supporting camp scholarships.