The Town of Southborough Tricentennial Committee spent a substantial portion of the Oct. 8 meeting discussing financial disbursement protocols and the relationship between the committee and the fundraising group, Friends of Southborough 300.

Committee members said past practice — informal reimbursements for small purchases such as T-shirts, banners and refreshments — left gaps in accountability and urged a standardized process. The group agreed to use a fillable purchase-order form to request money from the Friends; that form would attach to any contract and be sent to the Friends for payment or reimbursement.

A number of members pressed for clearer internal committee rules about what constitutes an approved expense and what dollar thresholds require committee approval. Several participants recommended that the committee set a not-to-exceed limit for routine purchases (examples discussed ranged from $50 to $100 for sundry items) and require explicit committee approval for larger expenditures or time-sensitive purchases handled through expedited email votes.

Committee members discussed examples during the meeting: an imagined DJ contract with a $7,500 total cost and a typical deposit request of $2,500 was used to show how commitments remove funds from availability. Members said certificate-of-insurance and procurement steps must remain part of contracts for events on town property.

The committee agreed to draft a brief written policy defining: the committee’s internal approval limits, the process for urgent decisions (virtual meeting or email), and the mechanics for submitting invoices and requests to Friends of Southborough 300 so the Friends can pay vendors directly when appropriate. A member offered to draft the paragraph and circulate it by email to committee members for editing and for eventual formal vote.

The committee also discussed that many sponsor pledges are paid over multiple years; members asked Friends to provide clear monthly or quarterly financial reports so the committee can understand cash-on-hand versus pledged amounts.

No formal vote altering budget authority or transferring funds was taken; the committee’s direction was to finalize the written policy and purchase-order form and return to the committee for approval.