By Michael S. Hoey
Correspondent
The Delavan Common Council on Feb. 19 approved spending $12,100 on its annual Fourth of July fireworks display for 2019. The city paid $11,000 in 2018 and is in the second year of a three-year contract with J&M Displays, but the price of the fireworks is not set by the contract.
Alderman Bruce DeWitt said the price of the fireworks went up by 13 percent due to the current trade war between the United States and China and the city had to increase its spending to provide the same display as in years past. He said the city will consider soliciting corporate sponsorships next year, not to reduce the cost of the display to the city, but to make the display even bigger and better.
The city budgeted the same $1,100 for 2019 that it had paid in 2018 for fireworks. A memo from Administrator Denise Pieroni said there was not be a primary election in February, so $1,100 could be re-allocated from money that had been budgeted for elections. She also said there may be funds in the City Hall budget for 2019 as well that could be re-allocated.
Read more from the meeting in the Feb. 28 Delavan Enterprise.
