Town snuffs fireworks display because of financial reasons

mrbsmom · **Joined:** Sat Mar 08, 2008 7:32 pm **Posts:** 813

ST. JOHN | The town of St. John has canceled its annual Independence Day fireworks this year.
The council voted 5-0 in support of canceling the fireworks because of financial reasons, Town Manager Steve Kil said

The sneaky shitz didn't even do it at a regular town council meeting, they voted on it behind closed doors.

http://nwi.com/articles/2009/04/26/news ... 07a5fd.txt

sparks · **Joined:** Tue Nov 14, 2006 4:17 pm **Posts:** 3800

It sounds like the town council made a financially responsible decision. If people really want a fireworks show, they can always take up a collection to put one on.

happy jack · **Joined:** Mon Aug 11, 2008 10:32 am **Posts:** 3789

sparks wrote:

If people really want a fireworks show, they can always take up a collection to put one on.

You can say the same thing about a good many government programs.

LoisLane · **Joined:** Sun Jan 06, 2008 11:23 am **Posts:** 1641

mrbsmom wrote:

ST. JOHN | The town of St. John has canceled its annual Independence Day fireworks this year.
The council voted 5-0 in support of canceling the fireworks because of financial reasons, Town Manager Steve Kil said

The sneaky shitz didn't even do it at a regular town council meeting, they voted on it behind closed doors.

http://nwi.com/articles/2009/04/26/news ... 07a5fd.txt

Legally the only things that can be discussed "behind closed doors" (Executive Session) are personnel matters and pending litigation. Open Meeting Act violation, if true.

freetime · **Posted:** Sun Apr 26, 2009 9:33 am

That's correct. But even if they met to talk about those permitted subjects, they would have had to post notice of the meeting and notified the press 48 hours ahead of time.
I sure don't understand why the secrecy was needed, if the post was correct.
It sounds like a very responsible decision to me.
In Hammond, our mayor is going full speed ahead with the Festival of the Lakes, which has a budget of at least a half-million dollars, despite the many more pressing needs of the citizens. He himself dumped $200,000 in casino money into last year's week-long drinking party.

mrbsmom · **Joined:** Sat Mar 08, 2008 7:32 pm **Posts:** 813

LoisLane wrote:

mrbsmom wrote:

ST. JOHN | The town of St. John has canceled its annual Independence Day fireworks this year.
The council voted 5-0 in support of canceling the fireworks because of financial reasons, Town Manager Steve Kil said

The sneaky shitz didn't even do it at a regular town council meeting, they voted on it behind closed doors.

http://nwi.com/articles/2009/04/26/news ... 07a5fd.txt

Legally the only things that can be discussed "behind closed doors" (Executive Session) are personnel matters and pending litigation. Open Meeting Act violation, if true.

They brought it up at a meeting in March and they deferred it. I have been to every meeting since and they never voted on it while I was there.

Screech · **Joined:** Mon Jun 30, 2008 4:57 pm **Posts:** 1751

Moby Grape · **Joined:** Sun Nov 12, 2006 12:19 pm **Posts:** 13802

sparks wrote:

It sounds like the town council made a financially responsible decision. If people really want a fireworks show, they can always take up a collection to put one on.

Sorry pal...most of my money goes to welfare fraud to the tune of billions per year.

mrbsmom · **Joined:** Sat Mar 08, 2008 7:32 pm **Posts:** 813

sparks wrote:

It sounds like the town council made a financially responsible decision. If people really want a fireworks show, they can always take up a collection to put one on.

Sparkles, if they were being financially responsible, they would be able to have fireworks. Carry on.

comedian · **Joined:** Sat Aug 09, 2008 5:15 am **Posts:** 3630

mrbsmom wrote:

sparks wrote:

It sounds like the town council made a financially responsible decision. If people really want a fireworks show, they can always take up a collection to put one on.

Sparkles, if they were being financially responsible, they would be able to have fireworks. Carry on.

He has no idea what goes on in this town. My girl, "Cheryl" told me last week "they" were not going to have the fireworks because "they" couldn't get ANY donations. Never needed donations in the past. I wonder what went wrong? :roll:

Many, many things but ONE council member has finally seen the light of ....over spending....and seems to be voting more in tune with the conservatives....who saw the light for years. :roll:

Still don't know how they got away with voting on this without it being done at a meeting. Perhaps the paper screwed up the story....again. :roll:

Funny "they" asked the Chamber of Commerce for donations as "they" did in the past for fireworks for Christmas in the Park. The Chamber kicked in a few bucks but Fryzel's brother ( a chamber member) donated the majority. Where's Mr. Rockefeller at now? Closed on Mondays..... :smt006

comedian · **Joined:** Sat Aug 09, 2008 5:15 am **Posts:** 3630

mrbsmom wrote:

They brought it up at a meeting in March and they deferred it. I have been to every meeting since and they never voted on it while I was there.

Uh oh, bsmom....the paper was correct. When they deferred it at the meeting you were talking about, actually meant they voted to defer the fireworks altogether. :smt006

mrbsmom · **Joined:** Sat Mar 08, 2008 7:32 pm **Posts:** 813

comedian wrote:

mrbsmom wrote:

They brought it up at a meeting in March and they deferred it. I have been to every meeting since and they never voted on it while I was there.

Uh oh, bsmom....the paper was correct. When they deferred it at the meeting you were talking about, actually meant they voted to defer the fireworks altogether. :smt006

You know what that makes absolutely no sense. When you defer a topic it usually means you will talk about it at another meeting. Who uses the word defer to say we aren't gonna have them. You know what, they better defer the Haunted House too, oh yeah and about Christmas in the Park, they could defer that too!!!!

deÂ·ferred
1 : withheld for or until a stated time <a deferred payment>
2 : charged in cases of delayed handling <a deferred rate>
3 : put off, delay

defer, postpone, suspend, stay mean to delay an action or proceeding. defer implies a deliberate putting off to a later time.

mrbsmom · **Joined:** Sat Mar 08, 2008 7:32 pm **Posts:** 813

Okay lets do a time line here. I was at all of these meetings and "Cheryl", was too and never did we hear them vote to cancel fireworks. Of course the meeting minutes are several months behind, so I can't look at those to see where they voted for the cancellation.

St. John cancels summer festival - Saturday, March 21, 2009
The council is expected to vote in April on whether to cancel the annual July fireworks display.
http://www.nwi.com/articles/2009/03/21/ ... 7ebdc0.txt

St. John's fireworks may fizzle this year if funding is not found - Sunday, March 22, 2009
The Town Council is expected to discuss at its April 16 meeting whether to have fireworks this year.
http://www.nwi.com/articles/2009/03/22/ ... 7956a1.txt

Council to discuss possibly canceling fireworks display - Thursday, April 16, 2009
ST. JOHN | The St. John Town Council is scheduled to discuss fireworks at tonight's regular meeting. Members will consider whether to cancel the town's annual Independence Day fireworks because of financial constraints. The council already canceled this year's annual summer festival. The topic is among a handful of other items set for the meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. at Town Hall

http://www.nwi.com/articles/2009/04/16/ ... 7cb449.txt

Town snuffs fireworks display because of financial reasons - Sunday, April 26, 2009
ST. JOHN | The town of St. John has canceled its annual Independence Day fireworks this year.
The council voted 5-0 in support of canceling the fireworks because of financial reasons, Town Manager Steve Kil said.

Gunslinger · **Joined:** Wed Aug 27, 2008 1:53 pm **Posts:** 885

The biggest crock of it all is that the town of St John, cancels the one ONE event, where MOST of the community comes out for. Not all people have little kids for the Easter Bunny or the Christmas in the park which is just a bunch a cheaply decorated christmas trees, but the ONE event, where most come out for, is the one that is cancelled. Not to mention that it is a celebration of our INDEPENDENCE, not friggin Halloween. I understand the need to cancel excess unnecessary financial expenditures, and respect the board for recognizing that the budget needs to be trimmed, but I am extremely disappointed in the cancellation of the 4th of July fireworks. And yes, comedian, where the hell if Jeff Fryzel now?

sparks · **Joined:** Tue Nov 14, 2006 4:17 pm **Posts:** 3800

Gunslinger wrote:

The biggest crock of it all is that the town of St John, cancels the one ONE event, where MOST of the community comes out for. Not all people have little kids for the Easter Bunny or the Christmas in the park which is just a bunch a cheaply decorated christmas trees, but the ONE event, where most come out for, is the one that is cancelled. Not to mention that it is a celebration of our INDEPENDENCE, not friggin Halloween. I understand the need to cancel excess unnecessary financial expenditures, and respect the board for recognizing that the budget needs to be trimmed, but I am extremely disappointed in the cancellation of the 4th of July fireworks. And yes, comedian, where the hell if Jeff Fryzel now?

It kills me that neanderthals like yourself feel the only way that you can celebrate the 4 of July is to shoot of $17,000 worth of fireworks that were made in China.I think the St. John town council made a truly patriotic decision to not use American tax dollars to help the Chinese economy. If you feel so strongly about the need to support the Chinese economy by buying their crap, put a friggin Wal-Mart in St.John.I'm sure they'll gladly underwrite a fireworks display on the 4 of July so they can sell morons like you Chinese products 365 days a year.

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Town snuffs fireworks display because of financial reasons

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