Committee discusses Memorial Day observance, suggests liaison and community involvement

Committee members discussed plans for a possible Winter Springs Memorial Day observance and whether the city should sponsor an event. Suggestions included involving the Boy Scouts, JROTC programs and local bands, and using larger venues such as Central Winds Park or Tropwood Park if the event grows.

A member suggested involving Scouts and JROTC: "We should probably get the Boy Scouts and maybe even the JROTC involved in this too. I really think that... I don't know if we can get the band to play patriotic music for us or something like that." The chair and staff discussed scheduling and budget constraints; staff noted the city’s fiscal year runs October 1 to September 30 and explained heavy budget work happens in the summer months.

Staff recommended designating a board liaison to coordinate with staff and said they could meet with that liaison and return with a plan and timeline. One committee member suggested Gus as liaison and the chair later volunteered to serve as the liaison as well; staff offered to meet with the liaison and provide an update at the next meeting.

Staff emphasized that planning a city-sponsored Memorial Day event for 2026 would require schedule and budget discussions but said it would be possible to plan for 2027 if needed. The committee did not take formal action but directed staff to follow up with the designated liaison.