Meredith Selectboard votes to organize 250th committee under town umbrella

MEREDITH — The United States is celebrating its 250th anniversary this summer, and a committee has been hard at work since August, planning a parade to kick off Independence Day festivities in town.

“What we are doing is putting together a parade on Saturday, July 4,” Committee Chair Chris Kelly said. “We’ve had a really good response so far. The activity right now has been spectacular.”

The committee became an official town entity, following a unanimous vote by the selectboard on April 13. This followed a discussion stemming from March 30, where board member Jeanie Forrester recommended the committee be officially recognized by the town for financial and logistical purposes.

“So that we can deal with issues with funding, because we did get money from Town Meeting so that we can pay for things, and incorporate more of the town departments into the celebration,” Forrester said on March 30.

Forrester was also on the committee for the town’s own semiquincentennial celebration in 2018, which met for years leading up to the events. She had full confidence to recommend they keep the same group moving forward.

The group has been meeting monthly since August 2025. As time nears, they will start to meet more often. The next meeting is at 5 p.m. on Monday, May 4, at RE/MAX Bayside.

The parade is anticipated to run about an hour, starting at 10 a.m. at LaValley Building Supply, running all the way down Main Street, and ending at Plymouth Street. Kelly said there will be a stand at the Meredith Historical Society set up for judges to rate the floats and distribute prizes, based on creativity.

The committee includes selectboard members Forrester and Lynn Leighton; Glen and Kathy LaPointe, who bring parade planning experience as they ran a Memorial Day parade in a small New Jersey town for many years; Vynne Hale, Monica Bennett, Howard Porter, Marilee Sundius and Paul Moreau.

Many of these members were on the 2018 committee, and Kelly said they bring a lot to the table in what is expected to be a highly attended event. Forrester also had high praise for their work.

“This committee that Lynn and I sit on are doing a really great job, but I would like this board to consider if we can now make it an official town committee, because I think that will be just better for the use of finances, and incorporating more of the town departments in it,” Forrester said March 30.

Town Manager Judie Milner recommended including the item on the April 13 agenda for a vote, and at that meeting explained she did research in those days between. She found the Greater Meredith Program was asked by the board to oversee the celebration, which was information she found in the 2018 annual report. Milner also went into to the minutes as far back as 2014, and found the committee was already in place.

Forrester said GMP did oversee the town celebration, but that it ran through the town.

“Minutes were required, because it was a town constituted committee,” Forrester said on April 13. “It seemed to work very well when we did it that way.”

The town’s 250th anniversary was celebrated throughout the year, rather than on a specific day. There was a series of speakers at the Meredith Public Library, a time capsule from 1968 opened on July 4, a parade in August, and other events throughout the year promoting the town, its people, and its businesses.

Kelly said the main focus for this celebration is the Independence Day parade.

“For the 250th anniversary of America, there are a lot of different entities doing a lot for the day,” Kelly said. “So, we figured we would do the parade to start the day off in Meredith.”

Forrester said the current committee has made “some real headway,” and making it a town committee was the appropriate move, especially when it comes to finances.

“It is at a point now where I think it is ready to make it an official town committee, so that the money appropriated by the town can be dispersed, but not only that, there’s some financial oversight from the town, since it’s the town’s funding,” Forrester said, and noted this would include aspects like potential insurance, and donations.

Milner asked if the donations flowed through the town for the 2018 celebration, and Forrester said while she did not recall many donations then, they should come through the town this time around. Milner agreed, and said she believes there were several donations last time.

Milner also reminded the board $15,000 was appropriated in the budget for this year’s event. Forrester said the town celebrations actually cost closer to $25,000.

Forrester said with two selectboard members on this committee — herself and Leighton — the town is properly represented. The rest of the committee is already in place, and she said she didn’t see any need to change members or the structure of the committee, unless the rest of the board desires.

“I think it just needs to be official so minutes are started, they start documenting everything they’re doing, and when there are bills to pay it flows through the town, and if there are donations it flows through the town,” Forrester said on April 13.

Selectboard member Mike Pelczar made the motion to create the town committee, which Forrester seconded, and a 5-0 vote followed.

Chair Steve Aiken was enthusiastic to get the board involved, and said to let the board know when they are needed. Leighton was quick to respond.

“July 4th,” Leighton said. “That’s when we’ll need you.”

The committee is still seeking floats and vehicles to be involved in the parade, and those interested can register at meredith250parade.com.