City reinstates fireworks celebration
By Andy Karr NDN Editor
The City of Newton will have a fireworks display after all, following discussion of the matter at Monday’s city council meeting.
A majority of council members agreed with a plan to use $7,500 of hotel/motel tax money to fund the annual display. The city will ask for donations to fund the fireworks with the hope of offsetting the hotel/motel tax money with those funds.
There is a catch, however. At this late juncture the group the city uses to put on the fireworks display is unavailable for the Fourth of July. Newton’s fireworks display will have to take place on July 3 or July 5.
Council member Mike Hansen expressed interest in having the display on July 5.
“It would make more sense to do it on the 5th, that Sunday evening,” Hansen said.
Parks Director Denny Slings noted that if the city opted for the July 3 date, he would have to cancel the adult softball games scheduled for that night.
“I can’t think of one celebration supported by the city that’s more worthy than the Fourth of July celebration,” Hansen said, adding that he hopes a group can be set up to oversee the fireworks fundraising, like the courthouse lighting committee.
Mayor Chaz Allen agreed.
“The best bang for our buck, for the people of the community to come to an event, has been those fireworks, since I’ve been here and for 20 to 30 years before that,” he said. “They come to the park. They’re there two hours before. ... They watch those fireworks. Kids get a chance to play with sparklers. It’s just a family event that I know would be duly missed in my house.”
Council member Steve Mullan favored a fireworks display, but said he would rather have it supported entirely with donations in light of the tight city finances and the council eliminating city positions at the same meeting.
“We just laid off a number of people and we’ve got some heavy expenses coming down the pike,” he said. “If people are all fired up about this, no pun intended, the donations will roll in, and we just proceed accordingly with fireworks.”
Hansen noted the city cannot use hotel/motel tax to fund infrastructure projects or employee salaries. Those funds are for recreation.
“Frankly I don’t want to in the future be referred to as one of the members of council who allowed that celebration to stop,” he said. “I think for the benefit of my kids and everybody’s grandchildren and all the folks who brought us through those traditions, I think we need to continue.”
The consensus of council was to proceed with fireworks.
The city will begin collecting donations for the celebration immediately, and those funds will be used to foot the bill this year, if they are received in time.
Funds can be sent to Newton City Hall, clearly marked as being for fireworks. Funds received after the bill for this year’s celebration is paid will be put toward the 2010 display.
Andy Karr can be contacted at 792-3121 ext. 434 or via e-mail at akarr@newtondailynews.com.
