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City will be reimbursed for July 4th show costs

In the past, police, fire, operations services have been donated

By Andrea Damewood
Published: May 4, 2010, 12:00am

The Fort Vancouver National Trust, the nonprofit that organizes and finances Vancouver’s iconic Fourth of July event, said Monday that for the first time it will reimburse the city more than $50,000 for police, fire and operations costs surrounding the show.

The city does not pay cash for any of the event, but the trust and Vancouver have long had a contract stipulating the city donates some services on July 4. This year, however, Vancouver will not be asked for in-kind contributions, Fort Vancouver National Trust President and CEO Elson Strahan told the Vancouver City Council.

“While that contract is still in place, we recognize the city is facing some serious financial challenges,” he said. “It was a contractual agreement, but things have changed over the last few years.”

The city has told the trust it will cost a total of $50,400 to provide operations ($37,100), fire ($2,500) and police ($10,800) services for the event.

Strahan said the expected $315,000 price tag for the fireworks, insurance, private security and other infrastructure at Independence Day at Fort Vancouver will be covered by ticket sales ($5 in advance, $7 at the gate for ages 13 and older, with kids 12 and younger free), proceeds from its fireworks stands, sponsors and vendors. But that doesn’t include the city’s charges.

As a result, Strahan said he hopes that private contractors might be willing to donate their services, or that community and business members can help cover that cost.

“With ticket prices so affordable, community contributions will always be necessary to keep the event,” he said.

American Medical Response Inc. has already offered some private ambulance service, reducing the number of city fire and medical personnel that will be necessary, he said. Bank of America has stepped up as the event’s main sponsor.

Mayor Tim Leavitt said it doesn’t sit well with him that the city is charging the trust.

“To the extent that could impact the trust’s ability to hold this event troubles me,” he said. “The police department deals with budgets in the tens of millions — the fact we’re asking for $10,800 for such an important event bothers me.”

Councilor Jeanne Stewart suggested looking for donors.

“Maybe we could find a sponsor, or two sponsors, or three sponsors who will help us cover that cost,” she said.

Even with the charges from Vancouver, the cost to hold the revamped Independence Day at Fort Vancouver will be about $85,000 less than the elaborate event of two years ago (no show was held last year), meaning the fireworks display could have a shot at sustaining itself into the future, Strahan said.

In 2008, the Fourth of July cost the trust upwards of $450,000, and was expected to go up, Strahan told the council. This year, moving the fireworks off a barge to Pearson Field, along with numerous other tweaks, will make the costs more manageable, he reported.

Independence Day at Fort Vancouver will be an all-day event, with gates opening at 8 a.m. Free tickets will be available for families that cannot afford the admission costs.

For more information, to buy tickets or to donate to the event, visit http://www.fortvan.org.

Andrea Damewood: 360-735-4542 or andrea.damewood@columbian.com.

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