The Town of Needham Revitalization Trust Fund on March 27 said an unexpected increase in its banner-and-flag contract has left the fund with a shortfall and urged members to recruit new annual donors while continuing scheduled projects and a community cleanup.

The committee said the ongoing banner-and-flag contract was roughly $12,000 a year and that costs rose by about $1,600 compared with last year, creating a gap the group said would require several new donors to cover. Paul (Revitalization Trust Fund member) said the group needs four or five donors giving $1,000 to $2,000 annually to restore the fund to last year’s balance.

Why it matters: The banner-and-flag program is the trust fund’s largest recurring expense; committee members framed the shortfall as a program sustainability issue that could affect seasonal displays and related projects in Needham’s commercial areas.

Committee discussion and fundraising actions
Committee members discussed a two-pronged fundraising approach: (1) recruit higher-level annual donors ($1,000–$2,000) through personal networks and (2) use targeted promotion (videos and social posts) to bring in smaller donors. Paul told the group he had produced two short videos to promote giving and planned to distribute them via the committee newsletter, Facebook and the Needham Observer.

The meeting outlined specifics: the trust fund’s flag-replacement reserve (established by a previous donor, Alex Prohatsky) typically covers about $1,200 a year for flag repairs and replacement; roughly half of flags may need replacing each year because of wind damage. The banner contract’s sudden increase—described in the meeting as a roughly $1,600 jump—created the current funding gap. Committee members said the program’s recurring costs (installation, storage, repairs and management) make stable annual funding important.

Members debated whether the town should assume the banner-and-flag expense. JP (town staff member) said the committee would need to explore municipal rules and timing for any warrant-article request and whether a municipality may directly fund this kind of trust-program expense; he cautioned that such a change would require further discussion and possible legal/administrative steps.

Projects and operations
The committee reviewed several project updates that the trust fund supports or coordinates:
- Memorial benches: Committee members described incoming benches named Soterholm (Avery Square Town Common), a Tom Leary bench for Amity Path, and a Ron Sockle bench for Memorial Field (the latter includes a concrete pad in progress). The group also discussed relocating an existing town bench in front of Starbucks so a donor-commissioned memorial bench can sit at that location, and a proposed bench on a conservation-land access point near Carroll (cross street not specified). The conservation commission has preliminarily approved use of a Ridge Hill frontage area as a staging point for cleanup and related activities; final permitting for benches will follow either select board or conservation commission procedures depending on the site.
- Murals and profiles: The committee reported progress on the “Needham to the World” profiles and related display banners. A mural/profile for Ben Carlin will be installed this weekend after the committee removed an image element (an Emmy statuette) at the Television Academy’s direction; the Television Academy denied permission to reproduce the Emmy image, so the design was adjusted. Jessica (Revitalization Trust Fund member, communications lead) said she had contacted the Needham Observer and offered family contact information for press interviews. Corinna (committee volunteer/writer) is preparing a profile of retired gymnast Ali Raisman and will gather high-resolution images for the display.
- Banner sponsorships: One available slot for the next “From Needham to the World” banner season was filled by an early commit from a prior sponsor (Michael Ballet); the sponsorship cost cited in the meeting was $1,295 for the display period described by committee members.

Cleanup logistics
The committee confirmed plans for a community cleanup scheduled for April 5. Eric (Revitalization Trust Fund member, cleanup coordinator) said sign-ups were circulating on Facebook and by the committee’s registration link and that he was still recruiting volunteers. The Needham Police detail for the event was confirmed at the standard four-hour window; the committee reported the department charges about $280 for a four-hour detail. Eric said he would coordinate food and on-site signage; the group discussed asking local businesses for small cash donations ($50–$100) to cover food if in-kind donations were not available.

Other matters
- Circle of Peace sculpture: The group said the Circle of Peace public sculpture was struck by a vehicle; Miles (the original artist) has been contacted and the committee is awaiting repair estimates and insurance clarification for damage coverage.
- Flags vs. banners: Committee members noted veterans’ groups prefer flying flags rather than switching to nonflag banners; the committee said it has suggested alternatives but will not change the veterans’ preference.

Votes at a glance
- Motion to approve minutes from the February 2025 meeting — outcome: approved (motion and second recorded; individual votes not named in the transcript).
- Motion to adjourn the March 27 meeting — outcome: approved (motion and second recorded; individual votes not named in the transcript).

What’s next
Committee members asked each other to reach into personal networks to find annual donors and to follow up with town staff about whether municipal funding or a warrant article would be feasible. The trust fund set its next meeting for April 30, 2025.