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Town of Southborough centennial committee approves minutes, hears parade, time capsule and drone show updates
Summary
The Town of Southborough Centennial Committee approved its Feb. 11 minutes as amended and reviewed planning details for the parade (including a proposed $25,000 initial authorization request to the supporting 501(c)(3)), a time capsule, a draft drone-show contract and a temporary banner bylaw on the warrant. Several items were deferred for further detail at the April 8 meeting.
The Town of Southborough Centennial Committee met March 11 and approved the minutes of its Feb. 11 meeting with minor editorial corrections after brief discussion.
The committee spent the bulk of the meeting on operational planning for major centennial events. A committee member presenting parade costs said estimates ranged from $50,000 to $75,000 and that the group would ask the town-supporting 501(c)(3) to authorize up to $25,000 initially to reserve participant slots and begin recruitment; the member said the committee would provide a prioritized budget showing exactly how the requested funds would be used. "I will be asking the committee to vote and recommend that the 5013C approve us obligating up to 25,000 bucks," the member said.
Andrew, a committee member, gave an update on the planned drone show: "I have a draft contract that they sent, which is just sitting in my inbox for some time," he said, and said he would route the contract to the committee's reviewers before bringing recommendations back. Committee members agreed that legal and administrative review were needed before executing any contract.
Members also discussed a proposed time capsule and its timing. The committee is collecting examples from other towns to decide capsule size and whether to bury it or display it above ground. The committee said one larger, buried option would carry materially higher costs and will bring a specific recommendation and cost breakdown to the April meeting; members discussed shifting the main celebration to July 6 to meet planning timelines.
The committee reported that the planning board reviewed a temporary banner zoning article (covering municipal property, nonresidential property and utility poles with owners' permission) and was supportive; the article is now in the warrant for town meeting. Committee members said the select board and utility owners will need to provide the practical approvals required for banners on utility poles.
On outreach, committee members described ongoing marketing work to grow the mailing list, tailor messaging for different audiences and leverage headline events — such as the drone show and the fireman's muster — to increase interest. Eric, a committee member leading early marketing efforts, said the plan is to "leverage some of our sizzle things like the drone show or the fireman's muster" to broaden reach and noted the committee's newsletter list is roughly 700 people with a high recent open-rate.
Other items discussed included coordination with town departments on a possible bonfire (which would require DPW, fire and police input for site, timing and cleanup), a hayride concept that remains preliminary, and a brick fundraiser that the 501(c)(3) treasurer will present at the next meeting. The 501(c)(3) has tentatively agreed to a townwide mailing that could feature a committee blurb.
The committee set its next meeting for April 8, when members expect to review more detailed budgets and follow up on the drone contract and parade funding plan. A motion to adjourn passed and the meeting closed.
