Fireworks and Rain Dates

June 27, 2015:  Close enough to the 4th of July so let’s talk fireworks. You may be seeing an end to fireworks rain dates - one of the things that made Bay unique. But, first I want to say thank you to everyone that works on the Bay Days Fireworks Fund.

Bay always opts to use the same vendor. There was some question at a recent meeting about the mayor’s loyalty with American Fireworks considering we may be able to get bigger and better, but the mayor is loyal to American Fireworks. Fire Chief Lyons believes they are the safest.

Meeting minutes June 1: “Mrs. Lieske asked how the rain date for the fireworks can be scheduled for Sunday, July 5, 2015. Mr. Ebert stated that there is no prohibition in the Cahoon Will about having fireworks on a Sunday in Cahoon Memorial Park.”

Meeting minutes June 15: “Mrs. Lieske stated that she raised the question about the rain date for the fireworks this year being listed on the contract as Sunday, July 5, 2015. The Kiwanis has it posted for Monday, July 6, 2015, which Mr. Ebert noted is the day approved by the trustees for the rain date.”

Mayor Sutherland stated that they are trying to work around that and it was just a glitch with the contract. However, the Mayor wants Council to be thinking about the fact that the administration does not want to continue the practice of having a rain date. They have never had to cancel the fireworks; nobody else does rain dates. It will cost $3,000 just for the Service Department. The biggest problem is scheduling people to work. The date for the fireworks requires a heavy police presence and it is planned out months in advance. When you go to a rain date you cannot get the same people to come back the next night or two nights later. When we had 140 people working for the City maybe it wasn’t as big of an issue, but now that we have 92 or 93 it is really problematic, especially being so shorthanded right now in the Police Department.

Mr. Henderson stated that in Bay Village some of the funding for the fireworks is from private donations. Mr. Ebert stated that the Kiwanis and organizations that sponsor Bay Day always get the most carnival traffic on fireworks day. This year there is nothing going on for Bay Days on Monday, July 6. Mayor Sutherland stated that if the fireworks are cancelled because of weather, the funds will be flipped into the following year. Mr. Vincent asked how the contract addresses the issue. The Mayor stated that there is a 50% fee but you put that against overtime and the fact that we don’t have the personnel. Mr. Ebert noted that there is no prohibition in the Cahoon Will about fireworks on Sundays. Mayor Sutherland stated that they will get back to Council. The contract says that the rain date is Sunday, and she doesn’t even know if they are available on Monday.”