The Free Press, Mankato, MN

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May 26, 2009

Fireworks in jeopardy

City, GMG seek ‘benefactors’ to pay for Fourth of July show

By Dan Linehan

MANKATO — Mankato’s Fourth of July fireworks may not happen this year because the business group that usually puts them on has decided the event no longer fits with its priorities and focus.

“Unless a number of benefactors come forward, it’s not gonna happen,” Mankato City Manager Pat Hentges said.

Greater Mankato Growth, a chamber of commerce and economic development group, has typically solicited business contributions for the fireworks, which cost between $12,000 and $15,000.

The city has traditionally paid about $5,000 and spent another $7,000 or so on police officers and traffic control for the event.

But business contributions have declined in recent years, and Greater Mankato Growth had to use $4,600 of its own money last year.

Greater Mankato Growth had hoped someone else would step forward to pay for them.

“Unfortunately, we have yet to find a workable solution,” Jonathan Zierdt, Greater Mankato Growth’s executive director, said in a letter to the city.

They’re still hopeful the fireworks will be put on by someone.

The City Council, anticipating state cuts of its own, does not appear willing to ante up.

Mayor John Brady suggested the lack of a very visible event like these fireworks might serve as a wake-up call to the citizenry that cuts to services are coming.

“The absence of the Fourth of July fireworks may not be the worst thing,” he said.

The city may lose about $3.3 million in state aid if the governor’s proposed cuts to state aid are enacted.

One plan for fireworks includes the Mankato MoonDogs baseball team, which occasionally sets off fireworks at its games. They have a Fourth of July home game against the La Crosse Loggers this year.

Hentges said there are a number of problems with having thousands of people view those fireworks.

There’s no good place to view them, the spent fireworks could fall into a neighborhood or corn field and the traffic patterns would require more city staff.

“Thanks for the bummer,” Councilman Vance Stuehrenberg joked at the end of the council work session.

“Thank the governor for the bummer,” Brady replied.

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