West Penn Township continues to work out logistics for its second fireworks show.

Board Chairman Tony Prudenti said last week that the West Penn Park Commission for J.E. Morgan and Atlas Parks met earlier this month.

Resident Howard Pryda, who serves on the West Penn Park Commission, questioned if the park commission has to come back to the board with everything.

“Do we have to get approval from the board and keep coming back for every single thing,” Pryda asked. “It slows down the process.”

Pryda said there’s money out there that doesn’t require the township to match funds or to meet requirements, and asked if the park commission can apply for it.

Township solicitor Paul J. Datte said, “It depends what their requirements are.”

Pryda said he was talking about soliciting donations from businesses.

“The township is the applicant,” Datte said. “The commissions are there to find grant applications, among other things.”

Pryda, who will once again produce this year’s fireworks event, noted that last year he solicited donations for fireworks for the township.

Datte told Pryda that for the normal donations, he doesn’t believe they would have to come back to the board.

Prudenti said at some point the board of supervisors would like to meet with the park commission.

He said the decision to donate proceeds from last year’s event to police, fire and EMS was great because it gave the township a little breathing room.

Prudenti said they initially talked about two shows, the first one of which he said he thought was a “great success.”

Pryda asked how the township planned to fund future fireworks shows. Prudenti said hopefully through donations.

“When you fund an event, you’ve got to get the money from somewhere,” said Pryda, who added he’s established a base of people willing to donate.

Last month, supervisors discussed fireworks in conjunction with America 250PA.

Location issue

Last year’s event was held at J.E. Morgan Memorial Park.

Prudenti said the problem with holding the event there is the parking.

A professional pyrotechnician, Pryda said he already has a vendor who expressed that they would like to come back.

Prudenti heaped praise on Pryda for his work with last year’s event, which was held July 5 at J.E. Morgan Memorial Park.

Pryda said his donation is essentially the show, which he estimated is basically worth close to $10,000.

Kester said he believes J.E. Morgan Memorial Park is where this year’s event should once again be staged.

Prudenti said that Andreas Sporting Club also reached out about possibly hosting this year’s event.

Pryda noted there are very few neighbors at that location.

Prudenti said last year a neighbor whose property is on the Carbon County line and has a horse was worried about the noise.

The township ended up getting in contact with an individual who owns a horse boarding facility, and they picked up the horse, which was kept there overnight until the next day in an attempt to try to appease the neighbor.

Pryda said J.E. Morgan Memorial Park is wide open, and therefore better for fireworks.

Supervisor Tom Ackerman said he believes the event should stay in the township and be at J.E. Morgan Memorial Park.

Kester said he agreed with Ackerman.

The matter was tabled until the park commission had a chance to look into the situation.

Afterward, supervisors agreed to purchase insurance for the fireworks display.

The idea behind last year’s fundraiser was to encourage other local businesses to take part in the event by advertise their businesses with a banner, vend their products or services, or set up information tables.

Businesses could send a donation to West Penn Township, or send a gift certificate that the township could raffle off at the event.

Or, they could become a sponsor, and the township would provide a customized banner to be displayed at the event. Sponsors also got recognition at the event over the public address system and on the West Penn Township digital sign along Route 309.

Pryda, who along with his friend Tony Cseplo do fireworks shows, agreed to give the township two years of a free fireworks show.

All the money raised from last year’s event went to police, fire and EMS.