July 4 is a big day for Ellenville and Wawarsing. During the day there’s the parade, and in the evening a major fireworks show. To pay for the parade, the July 4 Committee – all volunteers – organizes fundraising through the year, with raffles and spaghetti dinners.

At the June 6 Wawarsing town board meeting, John Gavaris, Ulster County legislator for the district including Ellenville, and stalwart member of the July 4 Committee, made a pitch to the town board for some financial assistance with the parade. He explained that in 2023 the total cost of the parade had run to $9,700. Among the expenses are the marching bands, which can cost between $500 and $1,400.

The Village of Ellenville contributes the cost of police and clean up afterwards, which is handled by the Village Street Department. This year, due to the village’s difficult fiscal situation, Mayor Trent did ask if it were possible to change the parade route to reduce policing requirements.

Essentially this would come down to avoiding crossing Route 209, which occurs twice with the regular parade route: The parade starts at the Ellenville school parking lot, heads down Maiden Lane and Ann Street, then west up Center Street, crossing Route 209 and turning north onto Childs Street, before heading east down Canal Street, crossing Route 209 again, on the way to Yankee Place where it turns off to the Ellenville school parking lot where it finishes. This route has required 25 traffic posts, usually manned by police officers.

The parade will stick with its usual route, the request for changes simply came in too late. However, Gavaris said that the committee will look at what changes might be made next year to save money.

Police Chief Phil Mattracion noted that the salary costs – which do not include benefits, and many other elements – will run to about $4,500 this year, when he will deploy all 13 officers of the Village Police Department.

Mattracion cautioned that the salary amount for police is not “hard” and that it may be different by the end of the day: “If it all goes well, we may be able to send some officers home early. But we also have to watch over the traffic light at Washington Avenue when lots of cars will come down so people can watch the fireworks over at the airport.” Mattracion also said he has put out a request to the County Sheriff and State Police for any assistance they could offer for the parade.

Regarding the fireworks, in earlier years the town and village shared the cost, which was about $10,000, with the village chipping in $3,000 of that. However, with the village’s finances in dire straits for some time, that contribution ended some time ago. The fireworks are therefore paid for by the town. This year, due to inflation over the years, they will run to around $17,000.

Gavaris added that Legion Fireworks have been “incredibly generous to us over the years. “They are fantastic.”

The July 4 Committee itself is in need of new volunteers. Gavaris said, “We are down to about 8 regulars who come to our meetings. We are struggling as a result.”

The town and the village host four events through the year. The Run Like The Wind 5k race, held in May, the July 4 parade and fireworks, the Blueberry Festival in August, and December’s Wassail, along with the Joshua R. Peters Memorial Electric Fire Truck Parade.

The town board listened attentively to Gavaris, but refrained from comment.