Hamilton May End Independence Day Tradition Due to Lack of Funds

The City of Hamilton's traditional fireworks show may fizzle out this year as the city struggles to find the funds necessary. Mayor Jerry Steele says that city council has not received enough money to approve what would be a minimum expenditure of $10,000.

"Originally, what we did with the fireworks was that we set a budget of $10,000 and the city is going to match all the donations up to $10,000," Steele said. "So in other words if we got $5,000 in donations we would get another $5,000 for display. So far, we are at $1,800."

$1,800 is less than half the amount needed, even with a matching donation. Steele says a $10,000 display will last about 20 to 30 minutes, and if the city doesn’t get $5,000 worth of donations, it will end a tradition that stretches back for decades.

"It goes way back," Steel said. "I can remember as a kid the junior members of commerce put it on. It goes way back into the fifties."

Anyone that wishes to make a donation to the Hamilton fireworks display can do so by giving it to the city Clerk at the City offices in Hamilton. Steele says that if enough money isn’t raised for a fireworks display this year, they will save it and put it toward a display in 2016.