Parade and Fireworks 11/25/25

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Parade and fireworks, Minutes November 25, 2025

Attendance - Julie, Stefani, Rebecca, Tom, Sue, Justin, Harland

Call to order: 7:08 

Agenda

• Approve minutes of 7.10.25 meeting - All in favor
• Review theme -  We the People, Freedom and Unity
  • Rebecca made a motion for the theme to be “We the People, Freedom and Unity”
  • All in Favor, none opposed
• Business sponsors - Tom
  • Tom talked to several possible sponsors and they are waiting for a request. He has a draft letter to send to businesses and one for large donors
  • Proposing 3 sponsorship levels: Red, White and Blue
    • Red- $100-125
    • White - $50-75
    • Blue - $25-50
  • Recommended raising the sponsorship level up $25 a level. These levels are for small businesses or individuals. Separate category for businesses, like how Northfield donated last year.
  • Tom also asked for the 40th Armory Band to participate in the parade
  • Request into the pipe band to see what their cost is. He is hoping to arrange a company to sponsor the pipe band.
  • Tom’s idea is to have business/people sponsor each activity
  • Tom and Sue mentioned that sending a letter to individual businesses signed by committee members who might know people at that business and then follow up personally worked well in the past.
• Vendor list
  • Reviewed vendor list from last year
  • Discussion over who sent out the thank yous to vendors
• Fireworks confirmation: Sue heard from the firework company that it would be $22k for the same firework show we had last year. An increase from $15k last year. Due to price increases, the company we have always used has been sold. Josh presented it to the selectboard and they want it to go to an Australian Ballot vote. Only a tentative vote. 
  • Sue is also saying that bc it’s a new company there is no guarantee that they will hold our spot for the 4th of July
  • Rebecca clarified if we have to wait until Town Meeting day, will we lose our spot? Sue said no.
  • Sue is wondering if we could use some of the balance of our fund from selling the fry wagon to help offset the cost of the fireworks so that it doesn’t go to Australian Ballot.
  • All members agreed that the best course of action is for Sue and Rebecca to attend the Selectboard meeting on Dec. 1st  and request that they leave the budget amount as is at $15K and the remaining amount be covered by Fourth of July committee funds raised so please leave it in the main budget and not australian ballot. That way it is not any increase to taxpayers. 
• Confirm DJ - hold off until we know about fireworks.
• Confirm reducing committee members - 7 members
  • Harland Stockwell, Tom Carpenter, Sue Glennon, Justin Spence, Rebecca Roose, Julie Wahlin, Stefani Hartsfield
  • 4 members constitute a quorum. 
• Karaoke: Sue asked about the status of Karaoke without Jay on the committee. Everyone agreed that without Jay to spearhead it we could not manage the karaoke contest. 
• Coin Drop date: discussed requesting Memorial day weekend or doing the traditional father’s day / graduation weekend. 
  • Stefani made a motion to request June 13th as coin drop day.
  • All in favor
  • Double checking the data for MMU graduation
  • Sue will call Susanne Parent to ask about permits
• Logistics: Tom asked about horses in the parade and discussion about the car show.
• Farmer’s Market(Rebecca) - see if they want to have it on the 4th or if they are not where we set up on Friday. 

Next Steps:

1. Rebecca will review the business and sponsor letters drafted by Tom and create electronic drafts. 
   1. Will have ready by the next meeting. She will put his list of potential sponsors in a spreadsheet so that everyone can track requests and responses and donations.
2. Dec 1st: Rebecca and Sue attend selectboard meeting to discuss fireworks budget

Next meeting January 15, 2026

Julie motioned to adjourn the meeting. Justin seconded. All in favor. Meeting adjourned at 8:11 p.m.