Trumbull County veterans official seeks donations for July 3 event as commissioners debate fireworks cost

Carrie Delgado, representing the Trumbull County Veteran Service Commission, told the Board of Commissioners on June 3 that the commission is planning a July 3 downtown Warren event with live music, food vendors, sponsors and volunteer T‑shirts, and is seeking donations to help restore the county’s Veterans Memorial.

Delgado said the commission has secured some sponsorships, has contracted Blue Siren to provide music, has obtained an event liquor permit and plans to post sponsor signage; she added that the lowest concrete replacement quote for the memorial so far was $32,000. "Any proceeds that we have left over…would go as donation to the Veterans Memorial to help with the upkeep," Delgado said.

The presentation prompted a debate among commissioners over whether to spend money on a fireworks display that one commissioner described as costing about $15,000. One commissioner asked whether the fireworks budget could be reduced or repurposed so more funds could go to the memorial, and suggested alternative marketing or programming to attract attendees without a full fireworks show.

"Do we really want to invest that cost in fireworks for that night? Or could that money…be in veterans?" the commissioner asked, urging the board to weigh the trade‑off between a 20‑minute fireworks display and longer‑term memorial upkeep.

Other commissioners countered that fireworks are a proven crowd draw. "I think you should just have the fireworks…If anything’s going to draw people, it’s going to be fireworks down there," one commissioner said, adding that the display helped bring large crowds for past anniversary events.

Organizers said they have enough donations to cover the fireworks cost at this point and remain soliciting additional sponsors. "We have enough for the fireworks. We've raised enough to cover the cost of the fireworks and some small leftover," Delgado said. Commissioners encouraged employees and community members to donate and suggested outreach through the local paper and tourism offices to boost attendance and sponsorships.

Delgado said she will meet with city staff and department heads on June 24 to continue coordinating the event and that the program would be brief — roughly five to ten minutes to open the ceremony — followed by music and vendors. Commissioners advised Ms. Delgado to continue exploring sponsorships and to consider partnering with nearby events and groups to maximize turnout.

The board took no formal action on event funding at the meeting; the commissioners proceeded to routine agenda items and adjourned later in the session.