HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-03-08-TCC-min Town Celebrations Committee
Minutes of Meeting
March 8, 2023
By Zoom Teleconference
Members Present
Geetha Padaki and Glen Bassett, Co-Chairs; Kevin Collins, Linda Dixon, Yifang Gong, Dave
Grabel, Sondra Lucente, Lorain Marquis, Sandy Podgorski, Ashley Rooney, Hong Xie.
Members not Present
Sudha Balasuryan, Steve Cole, Dabby Harter, Mary Hutton, Cerise Jalelian, Gresh Lattimore,
Julie Miller, Kristen Pulkkinen, Sue Stering
Guests
Jerry Michelson, Chair, Lexington Center Committee
Business
• Co-Chair Geetha Padaki opened the meeting, read the required Zoom language, and declared
that a quorum was present.
• The meeting minutes of February 8, 2023 were approved with one correction, to remove The
Blues Brothers from the list of approved parade units. The minutes of March 1, 2023 were
approved.
Request for Committee Feedback by Bertucci's
Jerry Michelson explained that Bertucci's, now under new management, wishes to set up a food
concession in Grain Mill Alley, the pedestrian walkway adjacent to their restaurant, on Parade
Day. The committee was very supportive of this idea.
Budget
• Glen is using $21,000 as our sponsorship estimate.
• Linda suggested we might want to be more conservative, as last year was an
extraordinary year and might not be equaled this year.
• Geetha suggested as we go forward, to use an average of our last five years.
• Geetha and Glen will discuss budget matters with Doug Lucente and Kim Katzenback
Dance Around the World: March 18
• Sudha and Elsie have met with TCC and the Arts Council.
• Geetha will schedule a run-through of the timing, logistics, etc. with the major planners.
• YiFang will send out a volunteer signup sheet; TCC member help is needed.
• Given TCC's already heavy schedule, Ashley originally had concerns that TCC was not
the right home base for this event. After successfully bringing on the Council for the
Arts as event chair, she now feels that the collaboration between these two committees
was successful and appropriate.
Sponsorship
Nothing new to report, letters have gone out.
Parade Planning Unit Approval Update
• On March 24, Lex250 has invited the chairs of relevant committees, local officials, and
stakeholders to a briefing at Cary Hall to share plans and ideas for Patriots' Day. Cerise
Jalelian is the TCC Liaison to the Lex250 Committee.
• Sondra Lucente reported that the Old Guard Commander's Unit will march in the parade.
The fife and drum unit and the drill and ceremonies unit are unable to participate.
• Acceptance letters are going out at a good clip.
• Glen shared the latest version of the official Schedule of Events,prepared by Sandy. The
Children's Program,prepared by Sandhya Iyer, Economic Development Director, will be
a separate insert.
Member Concerns
Upon learning that Gresh Lattimore had just returned home after an extended hospital stay,
the committee authorized Glen to send Gresh a Via Lago gift card with the Committee's
good wishes.
Future Meetings
• Effective April 1, Town committees will return to in-person meetings.
• TCC will meet at the Community Center in either room 237 or room 242.
• In-person meetings require that a quorum of 7 members and at least one Co-Chair be present.
• Meetings will be hybrid to permit virtual attendance.
• Future meeting dates: March 22; March 29; April 5; April 26; May 3; May 17; May 24;
June 14
The meeting was adjourned at 8:20 p.m. Next meeting March 22, 2023.
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Dixon