Congratulations Montclair! You answered the quiz — and helped make it happen.
Montclair is one of 10 U.S. cities and towns that earned enough quiz credits to score $10,000 in the Liberty Mutual Bring Back the 4th‚Ñ¢ contest.
We’ll update when we know more about what the windfall will mean for Montclair’s 4th. Meanwhile, kudos to Eileen Sheehan and all the folks at Montclair’s recreation dept. who work so hard to pull off the festivities every year.
Complete list of winners in the jump…
Small Town Category:
* Steamboat Springs, Colorado
* Springfield, Georgia
* Belmond, Iowa
* Winslow, Maine
Medium Town Category:
* Wilmington, Massachusetts
* Montclair, New Jersey
* Bowling Green, Ohio
Large Town Category:
* Springfield, Illinois
* Cincinnati, Ohio
* Vancouver, Washington
Let’s not strain anything patting ourselves on the back.
Not only were the questions embarrassingly easy, but getting the right answers didn’t even count. It was based on PARTICIPATION!
Fitting for Montclair and its “Everyone’s a winner!” attitude.
Still, to be in the top 3 in anything is a big deal (unless of course there were only 3 entries, but I find that hard to believe).
I read a lot of local news – this entire thing is a surprise to me.
Was it publicized? If so, where?
Nick,
At the very least it was posted about here.
Congratulations, Montclair!
Come on Walter, at the very least it shows the level of participation and civic pride that Montclair was able to muster enough participants to win.
And seriously. It’s fireworks. Who can be jaded and bitter when there are fireworks involved?
Are they going to spend the money on upscale wood signage? That would be a good thing.
Imagine the thoughts of people around the country who read the list of winners and know that Montclair has among the highest property taxes in the nation: “The highest property taxes in the nation and they can’t afford fireworks? What is their town council doing? Burning the tax checks in a bonfire?”
Yay Montclair and thanks to Liberty Mutual for helping towns celebrate.
It was based on PARTICIPATION!
And advertising.
Whatever! Let’s be happy we have fireworks this year–and they’re free! Kudos to all involved.
I agree. Kudos all around. Best of all ROC can’t complain that it is coming out of tax dollars, regardless of it being local, county, state or federal.
And Baristanet deserves its share of credit for spreading the word and getting enough residents involved.
This just in… Mayor Fried has just hired an outside consultant at a cost of $10,000 to decide how to best spend $10,000 on the 4th of July. The consultant’s report is expected by early August.
There will be extra funds left over from the $10K. How ’bout we share this gift with a few soup kitchens to serve their guests on the 4th? Would be nice.
I’ll bet Cary is over the moon, eh Spicoli?
I was just told that the town is still NOT planning on having the fireworks, and the parade will still be on Monday the 5th. They are just not going ot need to get as many sponsors??? That CANT be right, can it??
Kelli I sure hope you heard incorrectly. According to the town’s website a couple of days before the grant was determined the town had already committed to reinstating the parade and picnic. While the 10,000 is not enough to fund the entire cost of the fireworks, it is a nice start. The town should be pushing sponsors for that little extra to pay for the remainder of the fireworks at this point, not cutting back on the sponsors that they were already looking to for the parade/picnic. Those that participated in the Liberty Mutual contest (and the rest of the town) certainly deserve an explanation of how this generous grant of 10,000 will enhance our celebration. I believe the whole purpose of the contest was to help “bring back” the 4th.
I agree! I started to surf the web and saw that the Mayor did mention how “thrilled” he was about winning so the fireworks could occur…PHEW… Hopefully its just a rumor! I do wish the parade could be moved back to the 4th..I dont have off on the 5th
2 things. First, on the Montclair website, Mayor Fried thanks us for voting etc, and he says “You’ve saved the Parade, and hopefully the Fireworks” The parade was NEVER cancelled?? I know this- as I march in it. NOT cancelled. Second- I spoke with the Mayor over the weekend. He is “hoping” the fireworks will take place. If they do (he said 99% sure they will) they will take place at Montclair State College. Jackels Stadium. All will take place on Monday- July 5th.