Saving
Wallingford’s Fireworks
Act
VI
2015 arrived with bountiful
volumes of snow again this year and just as it was in 2013 and 2014, there was
still a foot of snow on the ground through to the first week of April. This
again hampered our collection efforts into mid-April. The seven volunteer spent
much of that time sending out mailings to the residents and doing some canvas
work of businesses in an effort to get sponsorships from them as we had done in
prior years and we did a little pail shaking too.
This year I did not have my normal discussion with Mayor Dickinson. He has
steadfastly maintained in all the years prior that the Town would not be able
to partner with the Fund in covering some costs such as the cost of the employee
overtime and services and I expected nothing different this year. Taxes went up
(basically) $108.30 on average for the median assessed household and if the
FULL SHOW was included in the taxes (all costs – including the fireworks) that
would have made the tax increase go up an additional $2.00 to (about) $110.30.
Instead I watched during the
budgets, the departments not ask the Mayor for consideration of the costs for
the overtime, and I watched the Mayor not include it in his budget that was
presented to the public and the Town Council.
I approached the Council
regarding covering the $13,000 or so for the town services and after some
discussions and deliberations, the Council did add seventy cents to the tax increase,
taking it to (about) $109.00 to cover the town services for the July 4th
Independence Day event which is now scheduled for July 11th on the
school grounds on the west side of town.
With that, the seven volunteers
continued our efforts to raise the $16,000 still needed.
The end result of the
efforts were a success even without a major corporate sponsor. Over the prior
three years Gale Development and the Campus at Greenhill donated $15,000
(2012), $15,000 (2013), and $10,000 (2014). We were hopeful for their
partnership again in 2015 but it was not to pass. Regardless, we are thankful
for all the help and support they have offered us over the past three years.
They have indicated their desire to work with us for future events so I am
still hopeful that we may be able to approach them again for future events. We
will continue to look to other Wallingford corporations to support this event
and sponsor it in 2016.
The residents and businesses
of Wallingford, as well as some supporting friends and neighbors from other
towns, made sure 2015 did not pass without a celebration of the birth of our
nation. Like so many of us with actual birthdays on one day and a party on
another when it’s more convenient – Wallingford celebrates the 239th
birthday of the United States of America on July 11, 2015.
To every supporter of the
Wallingford Fireworks Fund – thank you for six years of support – we could NOT
do this without you
Jason Zandri
President – Wallingford
Fireworks Fund
