Westborough 250th committee selects 15‑minute, $19,000 fireworks package and directs follow-ups

The Town of Westborough 250th Anniversary Committee voted to proceed with the lower‑cost fireworks package, a 15‑minute display priced at $19,000, while authorizing staff and committee members to seek clarifications and pursue fundraising to expand the show if additional money becomes available.

Committee members repeatedly raised two finance and logistics questions before finalizing the decision: whether the vendor requires a 50% deposit and whether the town permits scheduling a rain date. Members noted an estimated $11,000 for police, fire and public‑works detail, bringing the total event cost to about $30,000 before any private fundraising.

Why it matters: The contract and town approvals for fireworks are the committee's highest immediate priority. Committee members framed the fireworks as the discrete, schedule‑critical element that must be locked in with the select board, the fire and police departments before additional programming can be finalized.

What the committee directed: The group asked a committee member to contact the fireworks company to confirm whether the vendor allows later upgrades (for example, extending the display if fundraising succeeds) and asked a committee member to consult town administration about whether rain dates are allowed and how deposits would be handled if weather forces cancellation. Members also agreed that social media and public promotion should wait for a signed contract and explicit town approval.

Other steps tied to the fireworks decision include confirming the planned launch site and coordinating safety reviews with the fire and police departments and the Town of Westborough administration; participants identified Rogers Road as the location named in existing vendor materials but said the town would confirm the safest and permitted launch site.

What remains unresolved: The transcript records the committee's decision to move forward with the $19,000 package and multiple follow‑up tasks, but it does not record named movers or recorded vote tallies; the vote was taken orally and recorded in the meeting as "all in favor." The vendor deposit requirement, the town's position on a rain date and the precise launch location are tasks the committee expects to resolve with town staff and the vendor before executing contracts.

Next step: Committee members said they expected updates once the vendor and town staff respond; the fireworks contract and town approvals will determine whether additional programming proceeds or requires extra fundraising.