POTTSTOWN >> Organizers of the annual Independence Day parade and festivities have announced this year’s events “are in jeopardy” because the borough “abruptly changed the practice of payment for costs” to require payment up front.
But Borough Manager Mark Flanders has fired back that those changes are due largely to the practices of Independence Day Ltd., which paid its bills late and filed its applications at the last minute, making planning for police coverage difficult – and that they have had plenty of notice.
In a May 12 press release, the organization said, “The borough of Pottstown is requesting payment of $8,700 prior to issuing a permit” for the parade.
Flanders confirmed that is true and said that’s because the group did not pay its bill from 2015 until early January 2016.
He said that when he contacted organizer Marcia Levengood in December, she confirmed receiving the invoices but said she did not pay them because they were made out to Fourth of July Committee and not Independence Day Ltd.
Once new invoices were sent, the bills were paid in early January, Flanders said.
The Independence Day Ltd. release also pointed out that fees for the 2015 Halloween Parade were not paid until 2016, but Flanders said that was due to an internal error in borough hall and the invoice not being sent out. He said the AMBUCS paid it “within a week” after receiving the bill.
Flanders further pointed out that when Independence Day Ltd. filled out its 2016 parade application last August, the new application indicated in large print at the top of the form that payment would be required in advance.
In April, Flanders said he again contacted Levengood and her brother, co-chairman William “Chip” Smale and reminded them that payment in advance was due and that the borough had received no information about any other activities in the park, fireworks or otherwise.
“In all, I’m not sure how you could characterize this as an ‘abrupt change,'” Flanders said.
He also addressed the press release contention that a “parade in May” has had all its fees waived this year and has never paid any parade fees and costs.
Flanders acknowledged this as well, saying that the annual Memorial Day Parade was singled out for special consideration by borough council in 2012 – during discussion about policy for waiving parade fees in the wake of the near collapse of the Halloween Parade. That exemption was urged by former councilman Mark Gibson “as an indication of the borough’s thanks for all who have given their lives in service to their country,” said Flanders.
This year, Independence Day Ltd. has asked the borough to waive “all fees and costs associated with the 2016 Independence Day Festivities.”
As it stands, Independence Day Ltd. is being charged $8,786 for police services for the parade and nothing for the use of Memorial Park, said Flanders.
In all, assuming the fireworks are staged again, the 2016 events will cost the borough “in excess of $25,000,” said Flanders.
“That means even last year, taxpayers are subsidizing as much as $11,000 already,” he said.
Flanders said the police department has pared down requirements, waived the rental fee for street barricades and reduced costs as much as it can in order to keep the fee down but maintain an adequate level of safety.
“It takes almost every police officer to provide support for these events, they can’t make holiday plans and they are told they can’t take vacation,” he said.
In recent months, borough council has waived the fees for a number of organizations using Memorial and Riverfront parks, although it has begun to discuss whether or not it should continue this practice.
In most of those cases, the park rental fee or electricity use fee being waived is between $75 and $200.
According to the press release from Independence Day Ltd., the 2016 parade budget allocates $5,000 for paid entertainment and miscellaneous expenses and the $8,700 borough fee brings the total cost to $13,700.
Additionally, the festivities in the park have a $26,000 budget – $20,000 for fireworks and $6,000 for entertainment.
By this time last year, Independence Day Ltd. had announced that fireworks would once again return to Memorial Park, and they did, but no such announcement has been forthcoming to date.
You can help make that happen by making a donation to the Fourth of July event at its website – www.pottstown4thofjuly.org – or mail a check made payable to Independence Day Ltd. to: P.O. Box 199, Pottstown, PA 19464.
Additionally, residents can help raise money for the events by supporting Homecoming Queens in their fundraising efforts at Friendly’s Nights, Rita’s Nights and by dropping change in the donation cans at local businesses.
