Town committee reallocates Arbor Day funds, approves Memorial Day plans and modest event spending

At a town committee meeting, members voted to reallocate $2,000 from the Arbor Day budget to a Memorial Day fund and approved several modest expenditures to stage the town’s Memorial Day program.

The committee set the event time for 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the 25th and approved payment of up to $100 for a singer to perform the national anthem and up to $200 for a taps performer. Members also approved spending up to $1,200 for a large printed rendering or sign marking the future monument site and discussed coordinating final placement with the parks department.

A motion to approve the prior meeting’s minutes was moved by Mr. Mayo and seconded by Larry Borman and carried. Later, a motion to reallocate $2,000 from the Arbor Day line to a Memorial Day fund was proposed and the committee voted to approve the transfer. The meeting record does not identify a clear mover for that specific reallocation motion in the transcript; the chair announced the motion passed.

The committee discussed ceremony logistics: placing a battlefield cross near a rendering, recruiting American Legion volunteers and readers to participate, and using flyers and social media to boost turnout. Members emphasized accommodating older attendees by holding parts of the program indoors at the Mary Collins Community Center if needed.

On event logistics, a motion to authorize up to $100 for a singer was seconded by Mr. Fio and approved; a separate motion to set the program time (10 a.m.–12 p.m.) was made and approved; and a motion authorizing up to $1,200 for a site rendering was seconded by Mr. P. The committee also approved payment for taps not to exceed $200; that motion was seconded by Mr. Dio.

Members noted that purchases above the town’s internal threshold (roughly $700) may require formal council approval; the committee planned to place a deposit as needed and present final costs to the town council if required. Staff reminded members that checks to individual performers require completed W-9 forms when payments exceed reporting thresholds and suggested vendors be set up in advance.

Committee members were also briefed on an upcoming special-call meeting: committees must present proposed fiscal-year 2026–2027 budgets, including event dates, past attendance estimates, costs and sponsorship tallies, at a June 4 meeting at 6:30 p.m., so the council can approve committee budgets for the next year.

The meeting concluded after routine event updates and the chair moved to adjourn.