Fourth of July fireworks likely to be no-go in Gurnee
Gurnee residents likely will get a fireworks show this year, just not on the Fourth of July.
Citing financial concerns, Mayor Kristina Kovarik said the village's public money should only fund fireworks for the privately operated Gurnee Days festival in August.
Village board members approved $15,000 for the nonprofit Gurnee Days Corp. pyrotechnics last year. Gurnee village government's Independence Day fireworks would be in the neighborhood of $35,000 to $40,000.
"Looking at the proposed (2009-10) budget," Kovarik said at a meeting Monday night, "I don't see how we can do Fourth of July. I think the community will understand."
Gurnee's roughly $49 million budget runs through April 30. The 2008-09 fiscal year budget document listed general fund cash reserves at more than $19 million and stated "the village is in good financial condition."
Kovarik spearheaded creation of the village's official Fourth of July celebration in 2002. Called "A Gurnee Fourth: It's Red, White and You," reported crowds have ranged from 10,000 to 15,000 to see the pyrotechnics and entertainment such as the Great Lakes Naval Station band.
Trustee Jeanne Balmes questioned the Fourth of July idea shortly after Kovarik unveiled it seven years ago. At that time Balmes, a longtime Gurnee Days volunteer, expressed concern about the Independence Day fireworks siphoning sponsors from the August event.
On Monday evening, Trustee Hank Schwarz said while he appreciates the Fourth of July show that's been at Warren Township High School's O'Plaine Road campus, it would be difficult to justify its $35,000 to $40,000 cost on top of the Gurnee Days expense. He was Gurnee Days' president in 1990.
Gurnee trustees Monday night voted 5-0 in favor of seeking bids from companies interested in providing fireworks for Independence Day and the August festival. However, said Kovarik, that'll be mostly a formality to see what two shows would cost.
Budget woes have been cited in other suburbs that are dropping or scaling back on annual events. For example, Wheeling will limit its Freedom Fest to fireworks over the Fourth of July weekend, eliminating food, music and a parade.
Elsewhere across the country, National League of Cities spokeswoman Christiana McFarland said some towns are taking creative measures to preserve Fourth of July activities while coping with budget problems.
McFarland said Franklin, N.J., will save on employee overtime by holding a fireworks show on July 2. She said the Franklin tried to save even more by going to June 27 last year, but residents balked and the Independence Day event was shifted to July 2.