Orland Park budget woes won't douse fireworks
BY STEPHANIE GEHRING
Details: Orland Park's financial woes are unlikely to cancel the village's annual Fourth of July fireworks show.
The village's Community Events and Outreach Committee on Monday voted 2 to 1 to approve a $23,000 contract with Melrose Pyrotechnics for a 25-minute fireworks display each year for the next three years.
Citing finances, Trustee Bernard Murphy said the show should be put off for a year.
The entire village board will vote on the contract at its Monday meeting.
Trustee Kathleen Fenton, who chairs the committee, said the $23,000 paid annually for the 25-minute show was part of the village's approved budget.
Trustee Ed Schussler, chairman of the finance committee, said Murphy's comments were well-taken.
"It's going to be a tight year," Schussler said.
But he agreed with Fenton that the fireworks already were in the 2010 budget. The village's new fiscal year began Jan. 1.
During the budget process, Orland Park faced a deficit of more than $1 million, which resulted in six employee layoffs. A total of 30 positions were not funded in the new fiscal year because of layoffs, early retirement and attrition.
The recreation and parks department previously held a two-day Independence Spectacular event, which culminated in the fireworks show.
The event was reduced to one day this year because of the village's budget constraints.
Nancy Flores, recreation director, said $68,729 was budgeted for the two-day event and in 2009 and this year, $47,756 - including the cost of the fireworks -was budgeted for the one-day event.
Flores said she completely understood Murphy's concerns.
"In these economic times, I totally get that we're all going to be looking at things more closely," she said.
She said she expected the trustees to keep a lookout for ways to save.
"I'm doing that myself in my own department," Flores said.
Assistant village manager Ellen Baer suggested that Orland Park let residents donate to the fireworks fund, similar to the donations to the village's Open Lands fund.
Baer said the committee didn't seem that interested in the idea.
The Fourth of July event is the only village event with fireworks.
Flores estimates the fireworks show draws at least 3,500 spectators.
"It's just a sea of people that comes in," she said.
Taste of Orland Park had fireworks in the past but those were eliminated in 2009.
The recreation department has used Melrose Pyrotechnics for about a decade, Flores said.
The department received a bid from another company, Ace Pyrotechnics LLC, for the same amount. But Flores said Melrose won out because they have been "on target, reliable, safe and good to work with."
http://www.southtownstar.com/news/1987265,011310ORfireworks_.article
Details: Orland Park's financial woes are unlikely to cancel the village's annual Fourth of July fireworks show.
The village's Community Events and Outreach Committee on Monday voted 2 to 1 to approve a $23,000 contract with Melrose Pyrotechnics for a 25-minute fireworks display each year for the next three years.
Citing finances, Trustee Bernard Murphy said the show should be put off for a year.
The entire village board will vote on the contract at its Monday meeting.
Trustee Kathleen Fenton, who chairs the committee, said the $23,000 paid annually for the 25-minute show was part of the village's approved budget.
Trustee Ed Schussler, chairman of the finance committee, said Murphy's comments were well-taken.
"It's going to be a tight year," Schussler said.
But he agreed with Fenton that the fireworks already were in the 2010 budget. The village's new fiscal year began Jan. 1.
During the budget process, Orland Park faced a deficit of more than $1 million, which resulted in six employee layoffs. A total of 30 positions were not funded in the new fiscal year because of layoffs, early retirement and attrition.
The recreation and parks department previously held a two-day Independence Spectacular event, which culminated in the fireworks show.
The event was reduced to one day this year because of the village's budget constraints.
Nancy Flores, recreation director, said $68,729 was budgeted for the two-day event and in 2009 and this year, $47,756 - including the cost of the fireworks -was budgeted for the one-day event.
Flores said she completely understood Murphy's concerns.
"In these economic times, I totally get that we're all going to be looking at things more closely," she said.
She said she expected the trustees to keep a lookout for ways to save.
"I'm doing that myself in my own department," Flores said.
Assistant village manager Ellen Baer suggested that Orland Park let residents donate to the fireworks fund, similar to the donations to the village's Open Lands fund.
Baer said the committee didn't seem that interested in the idea.
The Fourth of July event is the only village event with fireworks.
Flores estimates the fireworks show draws at least 3,500 spectators.
"It's just a sea of people that comes in," she said.
Taste of Orland Park had fireworks in the past but those were eliminated in 2009.
The recreation department has used Melrose Pyrotechnics for about a decade, Flores said.
The department received a bid from another company, Ace Pyrotechnics LLC, for the same amount. But Flores said Melrose won out because they have been "on target, reliable, safe and good to work with."
http://www.southtownstar.com/news/1987265,011310ORfireworks_.article
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