The Fund has been set back an additional $1,459.00 - we are now back to needing just about $7,000.00 again

We've had a set back today. A discussion with Jim Bowes yesterday and the Mayor's office today has revealed to us a much higher than expected costs for the town services from the Police and Fire Departments.

We will be at the REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING on TUESDAY May 27, 2014 to report out to the Town Council – if you have the time to make the meeting please consider coming down; I will be discussing this new development there.

Prior - these were the costs for the event that we were working from:

Fireworks Show 2014		$11,925.00
Police Overtime		$8,000.00
Fire Department / Overtime		$2,000.00
Port-o-lets		$200.00
Fire Marshall		$950.00
Public Works		$0.00
Board of Ed		$425.00
R Band and Sound		$0.00
2014 Total Show expense		$23,500.00
To estimated show target		($5,378.00)
Current cash (and Campus pledge - not yet received)		$18,122.00

We received updated information from the Police and Fire Departments regarding man hours and costs and they have increased DRAMATICALLY over 2013:

Fireworks Show 2014		$11,925.00
Police Overtime		$9,004.00
Fire Department / Overtime		$2,400.00
Port-o-lets		$200.00
Fire Marshall		$950.00
Public Works		$0.00
Board of Ed		$480.00
R Band and Sound		$0.00
2014 Total Show expense		$24,959.00
To estimated show target		($6,837.00)
Current cash (and Campus pledge - not yet received)		$18,122.00

So that’s the update right now.

Between now and the deadline I will post regular updates.

I personally think it is ridiculous the radical change in the costs to the overtime we are being forced to pay but it's pretty much dictated to us as a "must have" requirement.

The costs for the Police Department overtime have gone up 12.5 percent and the fire department overtime has gone up 20 percent. These increases are NOT salary driven (all salaries went up less than 3 percent) and are CLEARLY more man hours being forced upon us as "required" by the town.

This can still be done. We've been pushing a bolder up the hill for three months and it has slipped.

We have eight more days and we're going to keep pushing.

You can donate by mail; make checks out to: “Wallingford Fireworks Fund” and send to:

Wallingford Fireworks Fund
c/o Jason Zandri35 Lincoln Drive EXT
Wallingford, CT 06492