The Mayor's budget does NOT include overtime costs for the town services; next move is the Town Council's

I called Police Chief William Wright this morning to simply confirm what I had suspected (as it's been par for the course since 2010) - the Police Department did not add consideration to their overtime budget request to take into account the costs of the services for the fireworks and the Wallingford Independence Day celebration. I did not call the other departments (Fire, Public Works, etc.) because it is unlikely they broke from recent procedure either.

With that, and due to the fact that Mayor Dickinson also did not add funding to those line items (overtime), there is no money allocated to the department budgets for the service costs for the event.

The approximate burden in total from all departments is $14,000. Based on the prior mill rate and property tax figures that is approximately a .35% increase charge per property owner.

The cost of that is SEVENTY CENTS on the median valued residential property owner. That is the amount of taxes that are being saved by not affording this cost for the event. 

One mill raises about four million dollars. That burden to the median valued residential property owner (a home appraised at about $290,000 and assessed at 70% of that or about $200,000 for the purposes of taxes) is $200 in increased taxes.
If taxes needed to be raised to fund the $14,000 (and they don't - we returned $760,000 to the general fund from last year; taxes charged to all property owners but went unspent) but if they HAD to be so as to NOT going into our TWENTY MILLION DOLLAR SAVINGS ACCOUNT (made up of your unspent taxes from years of over taxation) then it would be a SEVENTY CENT BURDEN to have the event for the median valued residential property owner. 

From here, pretty much the last step that can be practically taken is for the Town Council, when discussing those department budgets either add the amounts needed to the overtime line items OR to place another department to be responsible for those costs and to increase their budget to that accordingly.

The next move is the Town Council's.

If no action is taken, there will be no show on the west side of town, on the grounds of the schools for 2015, regardless of whether The Fund raises the $16,500 for the fireworks (the aerial pyrotechnics) or not.

Has Wallingford committed to fund the department overtime once The Fund donated the $16,500

I got this question on Facebook today and I offered the explanation (below) in the thread as an answer. Since it is a topical question I thought it made since to strip it out and post it here for reference.


QUESTION - Has Wallingford committed to fund the department overtime once The Fund donated the $16,500

 

ANSWER - The town has not as far as I know. When I last spoke with the Mayor and the Council there are no funds added to the department budgets for that overtime.

If nothing changes, and The Fund successfully collects the $16,500 (a 38% increase of costs from 2014), the town will not have the department overtime funds in the budget to pay for the show. That means there would be no show on the school grounds.

That is where we are presently (and I am placing a call to the Mayor to confirm my information as I have it and explain it below)

Now - what can happen:

-- The Town Council could change the budget to add the funds.
-- Five votes are needed to pass (I personally believe 5 votes exist to make that happen).

-- If they do, the changed budget (for that reason or others) could be vetoed by the Mayor
-- If a veto occurs the Council Budget would be vetoed and the Mayor's Budget would be restored (without the funding).
-- That COULD be overturned but it requires 7 Council votes
-- I do not believe there would be more than five votes to overturn the veto
-- A Mayoral veto has never been overturned (if my memory serves)

So it is likely the Council will add the funds for the overtime.

There is still a likelihood that too many budget changes would compel the Mayor to veto the budget.

With that, the show will be cancelled and not allowed to happen in conjunction with the town on the school grounds – this is regardless of whether or not we fund the $16,500.

This is a long answer but it's necessary to understand all the facets.

If it was totally the Mayor's decision, the show would be dead on the school grounds because he did not entertain the overtime for the town departments to cover their own costs.

Once the fate of the budget is fully decided we will know for sure.

As an aside, The Fund is looking at "Plan B" which would be "what if The Fund collects the $16,500 and the town doesn't host the show?" We are attempting to find a private location in town (farm, corporate property, etc) where we could get permission as "The Fund" to host the show ourselves.

But that is an ugly issue for a number of reasons.

For one, it will take the show off the West Side of town where it has been since the 70s.

The other ugly truth is, I have a few locations that can work (and they are limited because of the size needed) and the fact of the matter is our local government frightens people (and that should not be the case).

"I have a variance coming up with P&Z; I'd love to help but I am worried about retribution."

"I just appealed my taxes and got them adjusted; I don't want to have another issue this year; revaluation is coming up and I may not be heard fairly. If I need to go to the Board of Appeals and I have an issue with them, then I need to spend time and money in court. I'd love to help but I really can't expose my business."

So the sad truth is that between the administration's resistance to this from the get go, and the overall death grip the local government has on property owners in town, having this show just gets harder and harder to do.

Collecting $16,500, while difficult in its own right, is almost the easier part.

Collecting at the Landfill / Donate by Paypal / Paint Night for Charity

We’ll be collecting at the Landfill TODAY (Saturday 4/4) until noon; if you want to swing by and make a donation that would be great.

March was brutal weather-wise and we have only been able to raise $2,183.20; we need $16,500.00 just the fireworks this year (a 38% increase over the 2014 rate) so we have just eight more weeks to raise the additional $14,316.80.

If you cannot get out there, you can donate via Paypal as well:

If you prefer mailing in a check that can be done via:

Wallingford Fireworks Fund
c/o Jason Zandri
35 Lincoln Drive EXT
Wallingford CT 06492

I also want to take the time now to remind you about the Wallingford's 12 Months of Giving group (Wallingford ChariTree) – they are sponsoring the Wallingford Fireworks Fund in MAY with a Paint Night for Charity and tickets are on sale for that night now. Here are all the additional details on our event:

Paint Night for Charity for the Wallingford Fireworks Fund

Wednesday, May 20 at 7:00pm - 9:00pm Jakes Tavern LLC

179 Center St, Wallingford, Connecticut 06492

Our charity for May is the Wallingford Fireworks Fund. For five years the people of Wallingford have raised tens of thousands of dollars to keep the fireworks show going to celebrate Independence Day.

Read more about the Wallingford Fireworks Fund here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/wallingfordfireworks/
or visit our blog http://wallingfordfireworks.blogspot.com/

Tickets are $45 and are limited to 40 people on a first come, first serve basis.

Tickets can be purchased through Pat Harriman at
Harriman Real Estate, LLC, 116 Center Street, Wallingford.
Cash or make checks payable to Pat Harriman.

Artist Karen Ciocca from Moonflower Studio will teach us how to paint our fireworks over liberty scene.

Please be sure to patronize our generous venue donor Jakes Tavern LLC!

So we hope you will keep thinking about The Fund and making us a consideration over the next two months as we keep our dialog open with Mayor Dickinson. The budget for next year is out. I will be calling his office on Monday to confirm the status of town services overtime and whether or not he and the departments included it for the show. (The Fund paid for these from 2010 – 2014; we are not committing the resources to them this year – this prior blog post has all the details). From there I will move forward on any actions or efforts we need to take.

Top priority (or else it’s all moot) is to raise the $16,500 and that is the focus.

Thank you again for all your past support and anything that you can do continuing forward.

Shake the pail collections for Saturday March 21st

Yes the weather still looks winter-like and there will be snow but we are going to be out there regardless.

At 7:30AM Wayne will be at the North Colony Dunkin Donuts

At 8AM we will have Bobby O set up at the South Colony Dunkin.

Kelly will be at the Wallingford Landfill from 8AM to about 10:30 and I will be there from that point forward.

Our plan is to man all three locations until 12 or 12:30.

Beyond just collecting donations at these locations, we are also going to be handing out information regarding our Paint Night for Charity for the Wallingford Fireworks Fund event.

We will also have information available regarding our 2015 Program Guide and the advertising rates.

We are also looking into other possible revenue generating possibilities but we need more help to do these types of things year round; six people are not enough. If you have the time, energy, and desire, we are looking for people to help us out.

For folks that want to donate but cannot come by this weekend you can also do so via Paypal:

If you'd rather mail us a donation that can be done via:

Wallingford Fireworks Fund
c/o Jason Zandri
35 Lincoln Drive EXT
Wallingford CT 06492
Thank you for all your past support and for your consideration in 2015

Looking for volunteers for the 2015 season (and beyond)

Hi everyone.

Over the years we are invariably approached with the comments of “I wish I could do more” and one of the responses I always give back to that statement are “We can always use another warm body.”

The Fund is looking at the possibility of trying a couple new things this year – one is the Paint Night for Charity event and that actually comes to us via a group that is doing this once a month for different organizations; we happen to be a lucky (and grateful) recipient of their efforts. Other than trying to get people to go to that, our part is limited.

The Fund is also planning to submit an application to the state gaming and special revenue division to apply for a permit to host a (hopefully) weekly BINGO event as allowed under 501(c)3 rules.

If we are successful, this will allow a much steadier stream of earnings to The Fund as well as year round presence.

In order to do that we need more help; the game cannot be run with less than six volunteers. So with that, this is our call for help from those that might be interested.

We are targeting Monday nights right now on a weekly basis. We do not necessarily need anyone to come EVERY Monday night (it would be awesome but it is far from a requirement). If you could do one or two a month from 5:30PM to about 9 to 9:30PM that is all that is needed.

If you have any interest in helping out or just getting some additional information please let me know – my email address is Jason@Zandri.net (best way to contact me) or via my cell phone at (860) 614 6069

Thank you for the consideration.

 

 

WALLINGFORD FIREWORKS FUND 2015 Program Guide

Paint Night for Charity for the Wallingford Fireworks Fund

Paint Night for Charity for the Wallingford Fireworks Fund

Wednesday, May 20 at 7:00PM to 9:00PM Jakes Tavern LLC

179 Center St, Wallingford, Connecticut 06492

Our charity for May is the Wallingford Fireworks Fund. For five years the people of Wallingford have raised tens of thousands of dollars to keep the fireworks show going to celebrate Independence Day.

Read more about the Wallingford Fireworks Fund here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/wallingfordfireworks/
or visit our blog http://wallingfordfireworks.blogspot.com/

Tickets are $45 and are limited to 40 people on a first come, first serve basis.
Tickets can be purchased through Pat Harriman at
Harriman Real Estate, LLC, 116 Center Street, Wallingford.
Cash or make checks payable to Pat Harriman.

Artist Karen Ciocca from Moonflower Studio will teach us how to paint our fireworks over liberty scene.

Please be sure to patronize our generous venue donor Jakes Tavern LLC!

First “Shake the Pail” collections for 2015

As we try to do each year, we are kicking off the collections for the fireworks. This year, like the prior two, this is in spite of the fact that there is still a ton of snow on the ground. (In contrast, in 2011 I think it was, the temperatures were in the 50s).

Kelly and Steve will be collecting from 8AM to Noon this Saturday March 7th at the Wallingford Landfill and myself and Wayne will be at the Dunkin Donuts on NORTH Colony road (near Shop Rite / Wal-Mart) also from 8AM to about noon.

Information regarding our overall effort can be found on the prior post “Kicking off the 2015 Fireworks Collections” – there is also a link there for PAYPAL if you’d like to make your donation to us right now.

Our guesstimate on the cost of the pyrotechnics (the fireworks themselves) is $15,000.00 It may be a little more than that; we are unsure of the costs until the town gets the bids back and makes a selection.

Also, as pointed out in the prior post as well, the entire show this year is contingent on the town supplying the town services. Where in years prior (all of the last five) The Fund has collected donations to also pay these, the six of us, collectively, decided we would not this year and that it was up to the town to step up.

We expect to be able to reach the $15,000.00 as we have been able to exceed that amount every year. So long as the town does their part, this tradition will continue.

Please consider supporting us online or stopping by with your donation.

If you’d rather make a donation by check please do so at:

Wallingford Fireworks Fund
c/o Jason Zandri
35 Lincoln Drive EXT
Wallingford CT 06492

Thank you for all your past support and for your consideration in 2015

 

 

 

Kicking off the 2015 Fireworks Collections

Well gang – there may be three feet of snow still on the ground but only 12 weeks remain for us to collect the $15,000.00 donation for the 2015 4th of July Independence Day celebration as the office of the Mayor of the Town of Wallingford requires all the funds in for the show by the last Friday in May.

For 2015, the Wallingford Fireworks Fund is only collecting for the fireworks (the pyrotechnics) which is a departure from what we have done the prior five years. We will not be collecting for the town services; Police overtime, Fire Department overtime, Public Works overtime, Board of Education overtime and so on.

The Fund feels that it shouldn’t be the responsibility of the Fund nor the donors to cover overtime for town employees.

Since 2010, these are the total amounts of overtime and other services The Wallingford Fireworks fund, through its donors, has paid to the employees of the Town of Wallingford:

Police Overtime		$40,501.00
Fire Department / Overtime		$10,200.00
Fire Marshall		$4,450.00
Public Works		$1,055.00
Board of Ed		$1,610.00
All totals		$57,816.00

We’ve entered into a dialog with the town regarding this; they are planning a discussion during the upcoming budget workshops.

The estimated cost for services for 2015 that the Town of Wallingford will need to cover are:

Police Overtime		$9,004.00
Fire Department / Overtime		$2,400.00
Port-o-lets		$200.00
Fire Marshall		$950.00
Board of Ed		$480.00
2014 Total		$13,034.00

Because there is no expectation to have the R Band this year, there is no expectation to have costs for Public Works overtime for the event.

The Fund spoke at a recent Council meeting on the topic and pledged the $15,000.00 (provided we can raise it all) as long as the town covers it’s services.

With that, we will begin collecting this Saturday, March 7th, at the North Colony Dunkin Donuts (near Shop Rite) from 8AM to about noon. We will also be collecting at the Wallingford Landfill the same hours – 8AM to about noon.

Alternately – you can mail your tax deductable donation (we are a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization - tax id# is 27-2576599) to:

Wallingford Fireworks Fund
c/o 35 Lincoln Drive EXT
Wallingford CT 06492

We also accept donations online via Paypal

We hope you can help out in any way you can; every dollar helps.

I also want to make two things crystal clear in an effort to be as transparent as possible – if the Town of Wallingford chooses to NOT fund the overtime for the town services (the above total estimated at about $13,000.00) the show will NOT take place on the grounds of the schools where they have been for the past five decades.

At that point, The Fund will look for another location to host the event privately and enter into an agreement with a vendor to have the show. There are a number of pitfalls with trying to do this on our own. At the very least and with a limited budget at that point they would likely NOT be on Saturday July 4th.

I wanted to point out these two very important caveats before people started to donate. I wanted them to understand that there is a real risk of the show NOT being on the west side of town and a real risk of it not being held on Saturday July 4th.

As always – I am available for direct contact via Jason@Zandri.net or on my cell phone at 860 614 6069.

Thank you all for your prior support and your consideration for 2015

Wallingford Town Council Meeting and agenda item regarding the 2015 Independence Day Celebration

The portion of the Council meeting that is applicable to the Wallingford Fireworks Fund begins at 19:20 if you don’t want to sit through the entire meeting.

Here are the nuts and bolts – at this point there is no hard and fast decision rendered by the town.

We will fundraise this year with the intention to have the Town of Wallingford host the show on the school grounds, where they have been for decades, through a donation from the fund, as it has been done since 2010.

The Fund is not planning to raise more than the actual cost of the fireworks themselves for 2015. Traditionally this has been about $12,000.00 and we are estimating $15,000.00 this year. We would expect the Town of Wallingford to front the costs of the city services.

If the Town of Wallingford chooses at budget time to not fund enough overtime into the budgets of Police, Fire, Public Works, and the Board of Education janitorial staff then the show will not take place as a function of a donation by the fund to the Town.

At that time, we will look for other possible locations in Wallingford to privately host the show ourselves.

We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it – after the budget has been voted on and then signed (or vetoed) by Mayor Dickinson.

As an aside and as part of the discussion, in order to host the event, be it by a donation to the Town of Wallingford proper or by the Fund doing it on its own, the event will likely NOT be held on July 4th. The more likely date at this time is one week later on July 11th.

Please take the time to watch the video and take in all of the discussion – it answers a lot of questions but in the event you still have more please feel free to reach out to me directly at Jason@Zandri.net