At the meeting the commission moved into detailed planning for its MLK Day activities, confirming venue access, schedule, marketing and logistics and assigning volunteers.

The commission confirmed that space at the school for “the 20th” is reserved: the performing arts center and an adjacent cafeteria area will host a continental breakfast meet-and-greet followed by the main program. Commission members asked volunteers to arrive at 8:30 a.m.; the meet-and-greet will open at 9:30 a.m. and run until roughly 10:30–10:45 a.m., after which the group will move to the performing arts center for a program slated to start about 10:45 a.m.

Program content and participants: the commission expects a mix of student and community participation. A sixth-grade choir from Monticello will sing; a Wayne High School honors student was proposed as a potential closing speaker; spoken-word poet Malachi Robinson is scheduled to perform; and commission member Corey Owens volunteered to serve as master of ceremonies.

Marketing, materials and vendors: the commission reviewed flyers and poster-board plans. A set of roughly 10 poster boards will be produced (the transcript references 10 posters) for an interactive “timeline” activity in which attendees guess event years; a QR code linking to a more comprehensive document will be provided so attendees can check answers and read expanded background. The boards will include an image, an event title and a timeline; members requested brief explanatory text be added beneath images for context. Printing and production were routed to an outside vendor (Minuteman Press) after a vendor quoted less than an initial Staples estimate. Because the vendor is new to the city’s purchasing process, staff requested a W-9 and an invoice before payment.

Catering and logistics: the commission reported an initial deposit had been paid to the catering vendor (recorded in the transcript as Home Cooked Vibes). Custodial coverage and audio-visual needs were included in the facility rental; staff (Jeffrey) said he would coordinate AV contacts and follow up with the performing arts center staff.

Donations and collection bins: members discussed placing three to four donation bins at community locations; they considered cardboard bins or low-cost moving boxes if reusable donation bins are unavailable. The commission proposed collecting donations through late January or into February and coordinating drop-off with the city master closet; commissioners identified a need to confirm who will pick up and deliver collected donations.

Honorarium and payments: the commission discussed paying an honorarium to a student who produced flyer artwork. One speaker referenced either $100 or $125 as the likely amount and said they would confirm the exact figure; staff asked the student to provide a W-9 for payment processing. The commission asked staff to obtain invoices and the vendor W-9 for printing and to confirm turnaround times.

Accessibility and engagement: members asked for brief talking points and for several commissioners to circulate among poster boards during the meet-and-greet to speak with attendees and explain the activity. The commission emphasized that posters and the program should highlight lesser-known civil-rights figures as well as widely known moments to broaden community education.

Next steps: staff will secure the invoice and W-9 from vendors, confirm AV contact and turnaround time with the printer, finalize poster content and add brief explanatory text, confirm the mayor’s availability to read the proclamation, and circulate a final volunteer and materials list ahead of the event.

Ending: The commission set arrival and start times and assigned follow-up tasks to staff and volunteers to finalize logistics before the event.