Hubbardston — Council members on Nov. 11 agreed to prioritize low-cost promotional items that deliver continued visibility over a higher-cost printed tablecloth this fiscal year.

Speaker 2 displayed a three-sided tablecloth sample priced at $167.15 with $9.83 tax but said the council could instead buy 500 four-color sticky notepads (quoted at $145 plus shipping) and a small number of drawstring bags (approximately $126.24 for 75 units). After weighing storage, distribution and value for money, members voted to order the sticky pads and a limited number of bags now and to revisit the tablecloth at next year's budget cycle.

"I'll make a notion to purchase the sticky pads," Speaker 1 said; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote. The council asked staff to confirm tax-exempt ordering procedures with the treasurer and to group shipments where possible to save on shipping costs.

Administrative detail: the council set a shipping budget to keep the order within the current fiscal allocation and asked staff to return with tax-exempt documentation before placing the order.