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Tourism Board Regular Meeting

Town of Hillsborough · Tourism Board
Monday, March 2, 2026 at 5:30 pm

Regular meeting Grants and outside fundingAppointments and personnelArts and public artSchools and education

Agenda document Full packet Minutes Meeting page Watch Meeting recap

What's on this agenda

The tourism board takes up a $12,500 event-funding request under the Town's A250 Event Partnership program, alongside quarterly and bi-annual reports from its contract partners: the Hillsborough Arts Council, the Alliance (Visitors Center), Burwell School, and the Orange County Museum.

The board also fills its chair and vice-chair seats, reviews a draft grant schedule for FY 2027 awards, and reviews scopes of work for FY 2027 contract partners.

Summarized from the published agenda. Read the agenda itself before acting on it.

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

The board voted 7-0 to fund the town's Fourth of July event marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, committing $12,500 in matching funds and sending a budget amendment request to the town board. Assistant Town Manager Matt Efird said the town has put in $25,000 and is asking the county tourism development authority for another $12,500 toward the event's $50,000 budget. The event will feature local bands, a community orchestra and a laser show, with light snacks in place of food vendors. Event organizer Greg Bell, formerly of the Festival for the Eno, is planning it with the Orange County Arts Commission.

The board also heard quarterly or bi-annual reports from its four contract partners: the Hillsborough Arts Council, the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough, Burwell School and the Orange County Historical Museum. It voted 7-0 to reappoint Victoria Pace as chair and tabled the vice-chair pick to the next meeting, since Megan Kimball may be leaving the board. It adopted a grant schedule for FY 2027 that closes applications April 17, with board scoring, discussion May 4, and final decisions at the June 1 budget-adoption hearing, voting 7-0. It also voted 7-0 to adopt FY 2027 contract scopes of work for its four partner organizations, adding a requirement that each hold at least one fundraising event a year. Staff told the board food and beverage tax collections are up about $10,000 over the previous year through December, with January and February collections possibly down due to weather-related closures.

How the votes went

Agenda and the January 5, 2026 minutes: approved 7-0. A250 Event Partnership funding, $12,500: approved 7-0. Chair reappointment (Victoria Pace): approved 7-0; vice chair tabled to the next meeting. FY 2027 grant schedule: adopted 7-0. FY 2027 contract scopes of work, with an added annual fundraising-event requirement: adopted 7-0.

From the published minutes.

Speaking at this meeting

Town of Hillsborough's own rules for public comment — check them before you rely on anything here.

Agenda items (6)

Discussion item · 2Minutes approval · 1Budget action · 1Presentation · 1Appointment · 1
  1. 3 Minutes
    Minutes approval
    Approve minutes from the January 5, 2026 meeting.
  2. 4.A Town of Hillsborough A250 Event Partnership
    Budget action Grants and outside funding
    Event funding request for $12,500 under the Town's A250 Event Partnership program.
  3. 5 Contract Partner Quarterly Updates & Bi-Annual Reports
    Presentation Arts and public artGrants and outside fundingSchools and education
    Quarterly and bi-annual updates from tourism contract partners: Hillsborough Arts Council, the Alliance (Visitors Center), Burwell School, and Orange County Museum.
  4. 6.A Chair and Vice Chair Appointment(s)
    Appointment Appointments and personnel
    Board fills its chair and vice-chair seats.
  5. 6.B Draft grant schedule for FY 2027 awards
    Discussion item Grants and outside funding
    Review and comment on a draft grant schedule, running spring 2026, for FY 2027 tourism grant awards.
  6. 6.C Contract Scopes of Work, FY 2027
    Discussion item Grants and outside funding
    Review and comment on contract scopes of work and scope-of-work responses for FY 2027 contract partners.

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