TARENTUM, Pa. —
People looking for fireworks this Fourth of July in Tarentum will only see dark skies and stars after its pyrotechnics sponsor said they can no longer "light up the sky."
Our news partners at the Trib said after 29 years of sponsoring the annual holiday pyrotechnics, Summit Hose Company members told borough council they no longer can sponsor it.
“We didn’t ask them to fund it. We just went to them to let them know we could not afford to do it anymore,” Summit fire Chief Joshua Fox told the Trib Friday. “The amount of time and commitment and the cost to the company, we just can’t afford to do it anymore.”
Fox told the Trib borough officials floated the idea of the borough finding $15,000 to pay for the display. Fox said if that became a possibility, they would do it, but when the council discussed contributing to the display at its Feb. 10 meeting, the proposal was voted down unanimously.
“I am definitely opposed to devoting $15,000 for 15 minutes of ‘oooh’ and ‘aaah,'” Mayor Bob Lang said according to the Trib. “That is money that can be used for other things, like EMS.”
Council President Scott Dadowski acknowledged the difficulty Summit’s members faced in sponsoring the display.
Dadowski said during the meeting the company has been fighting a losing battle in trying to gain public financial support for the display.
“They sent out 8,000 letters asking for donations, and they get 150 or 200 back,” Dadowski said.
Fox told the Trib that the cost for the fireworks alone is around $10,000, with another $5,000 needed to cover costs for solicitation letters, raffle tickets, and additional items for the festivities.
Fox said Summit actually hesitated in deciding to hold a display two years ago because finances were becoming too tight.
“We just squeaked by,” he said.
Company vice president Sam Johnson told the Trib that the company made between $1,000 and $2,000 on the event. Last year, he said the company ended up in the red and had to come up with $500 in its own funds to cover the costs.
“We said if we did not make any profit, or at least break even, then we are done,” Fox told the Trib.
Fox said they appreciate council being willing to work with them but, financially, it is not an economically friendly decision.
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