- April 17, 2024
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Flagler Beach has traditionally held an Independence Day fireworks event at the pier on July 4, and, after a two-year interruption for COVID-19, hoped to do so again this year. But with staffing issues affecting pyrotechnics providers, the city may not get a fireworks show at all this year.
"It's called the fourth, not the second of July. ... It's not about the fireworks; it's about the celebration and the community, and all the things that the day encompasses."
— SUZIE JOHNSTON, mayor
"There are not enough certified licensed people to do these things, and the price tag on doing them keeps going up and up and up," City Manager William Whitson told Flagler Beach city commissioners at a commission meeting on April 28.
The pyrotechnics company that Flagler Beach has used for years, Fireworks by Santore, isn't available this July 4 due to staffing issues, Whitson said.
The city is looking into a smaller company, Whitson said — Imperial Pyro and Special Effects — but that company hasn't yet confirmed to the city administration that it will be able to manage the city's show either. Santore also offered to host the city of Flagler Beach's fireworks show for the city's $25,000 budget on July 2, rather than July 4.
The complication comes months after Flagler Beach rejected the city of Palm Coast's proposal that the two cities swap event dates so that Palm Coast, which traditionally has held its fireworks show on July 3, could hold its event — at least some years — on July 4: Flagler Beach commissioners, at the time, had decided that Independence Day fireworks would remain on July 4.
Whitson, at the April 28 meeting, told commissioners that Santore needed to know whether the city wanted to reserve July 2 or hold out for the possibility of a July 4 show with another company. Not holding the date would mean that Santore could end up booked elsewhere on July 2, and the city might not get fireworks show at all.
Commissioners considered two possibilities for a July 2 event— holding the city's entire Independence Day celebration, including fireworks, on July 2, or holding just the fireworks show on July 2 and keeping everything else on July 4.
But there were problems with both options.
"I am not okay with having the parade not on the Fourth of July," Mayor Suzie Johnston said. "This city has always had the parade on the Fourth of July, and it is what has kicked off the festivities for the day. And I would not like to see the rest of the events happening on the second. That goes against what we have done as tradition in the city. ... I understand that there might there will be there's issues with the fireworks, but there's not issues with having the parade on the Fourth of July and having the events in the park."
But splitting the events over two days would complicate law enforcement staffing.
"We had a whole long fight several months ago about Palm Coast wanting to change from the third to the fourth ... and we were adamant that July 4 belonged to Flagler Beach."
— JANE MEALY, city commissioner
If the city holds a fireworks show on July 2, a Saturday, and then a separate Independence Day celebration on July 4, "There is no way we can logistically bring people back on Monday," Police Chief Matt Doughney said.
The department doesn't have enough officers, and other area agencies that have contributed officers to support the FBPD — most notably, the Daytona Beach Police Department — are also short-staffed this year, he said.
"If we don't jump everything on the second, and Santore says, 'Now we can't do it on the second,' we're not going to have fireworks,'" Doughney said. "And then the residents are really going to be upset."
But Commissioner Jane Mealy agreed with Johnston.
"I think we need to have everything on the Fourth," Mealy said. "We had a whole long fight several months ago about Palm Coast wanting to change from the third to the fourth ... and we were adamant that July 4 belonged to Flagler Beach. ... If there's an alternative, I think we need to go on the Fourth with everything."
Commissioner Eric Cooley noted that the city's own ad hoc advisory committee on Independence Day celebrations had urged that a fireworks show be held only if the city could muster increased police protection, and that the city's police department staffing is down this year.
"We've got to really ask ourselves, is this going to be safe with that amount of people?" Cooley said. "... Going against the July 4 committee we formed, trying to plow forward and being short-staffed with police — knowing we're short staffed with police — what are we going to get into if we try to force this?"
He proposed forgoing fireworks this year.
"Be as festive as you can be with what we can handle safely, is what I'm suggesting," he said.
Johnston said that staying with Santore and shifting the event to July 2 this year could become a precedent that leads to the city holding its celebration on July 2 every year.
"I still say we have Fourth of July on Fourth of July, and we hope that we can have fireworks" Johnston said. "But other than that, we're just putting ourselves into a position to never celebrate the Fourth of July on the Fourth of July, going forward."
She added, "It's called the fourth, not the second of July. ... It's not about the fireworks; it's about the celebration and the community, and all the things that the day encompasses."
People also have July 4 off from work, she said, and area vacation rentals are booked for July 4 — not July 2.
Mealy motioned to have all festivities on the Fourth of July — including fireworks, if possible. The commission voted 5-0 in favor.
