Carlisle DEI Commission Votes to Approve 2026 Cultural Events Budget Before ARPA Deadline

CARLISLE — April 16, 2026 — Carlisle's DEI Commission unanimously approved its 2026 activity budget and launched a coordinated outreach push for its quadrennial community survey at its April 16 meeting. The five-member commission voted 5-0 to adopt a budget that includes $3,500 for Concord Pride, $3,500 for a Hanukkah celebration, $1,000 for Juneteenth, $1,500 already spent on Lunar New Year programming, and matching funds toward fabrication of a permanent town menorah through the Concord-Carlisle Area Arts organization, which holds roughly $5,000 to $5,500 in a CJP grant with the town as fiscal sponsor. A proposed $4,000 honorarium for a Native American journalist to anchor an indigenous heritage program drew support but also caution — one member said relationship-building with Massachusetts tribal councils "has to come from the head of the town government," not the commission. The budget is drawn partly from ARPA funds that expire December 31, 2026. The commission also assigned members to pitch the community survey to the Concord Bridge, reach seniors at Newbury Court, and seek a QR code slide on Town Meeting screens by contacting Moderator Carmen Reese; a follow-up meeting to assess survey responses is set for April 30 at 4:30 p.m. virtually.