Tight city budgets make a dud of annual Fourth of July fireworks

Last year’s budget struggles at Fairway, Roeland Park and Westwood city halls have taken this year’s Fourth of July fireworks display as a casualty.

Traditionally, the three cities each chipped in $2,000 (with another $1,000 coming from either Westwood Hills or Mission Woods) for a fireworks display in north Johnson County. But major financial pressures in Fairway last year caused the city council to raise the city’s mill levy while simultaneously cutting deeply into its budget. Part of those cuts included pulling funding for a Fourth of July display this year.

“It was removed as part of last year’s budget process, and at present [a fireworks display] is not included in the 2012 budget either,” said Fairway Parks and Recreation Director Nathan Nogelmeier.

With both the north Johnson County and Meadowbrook displays no longer public options, the closest public fireworks display will be at Leawood’s City Park, 10601 Lee Blvd. The display will start at 9:45 p.m. on Monday, July 4.