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Organizers plan expanded July 3 fireworks on Rangeley Lake with four barges; town contribution noted
Summary
Organizers told the Board June 16 they plan a four-barge fireworks show on Rangeley Lake on July 3, are seeking to raise $104,000 for the larger display and said the town contribution had been increased by $13,000.
Organizers seeking to expand Rangeley’s July holiday fireworks described a multi-barge display to the Board on June 16, saying they expect four barges on the lake, multiple shoot sites visible from East and West shores, and a larger-than-normal budget.
The presenter said the project’s fundraising target is $104,000 and that about $34,500 had been raised to date; he said he would personally make up any shortfall needed to reach a guaranteed minimum show of $75,000. “We’re going to raise a $104,000 and we’ve raised $34,500…so we’re $34,500 into a $104,” the presenter said. The presenter also said the town had increased its contribution by $13,000; that amount was discussed as part of the municipal share of the overall budget.
Steve Morrison, the fireworks contractor named in the meeting, described logistics: the barges would be staged in the days before the show, anchored, lit for visibility and monitored. Morrison and the organizer discussed permitting with Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the state fire marshal, FAA notifications and local police and fire staffing. Morrison said he expects to meet with the state fire marshal and to coordinate safety boats and shoreline patrols to keep spectator boats at the required distances during firing. He described the shells to be used and explained clearance distances (for example, 70 feet of radius per inch of shell) and said larger shells (up to 6-inch) require larger safety zones.
Organizers said they plan to stage barges July 2 and remove them around July 6; cleanup and a daylight inspection were planned for the day after the event. Morrison said debris from modern shells is paper-based and largely biodegradable and that divers previously found embedded discharge debris degrades over months.
Board members asked questions about safety staffing on the water during firing, lighting and anchoring of barges, and the timeline for purchasing fireworks. Staff and the contractor said they would coordinate permits and inspections; the meeting record shows a presentation and answers to questions but does not record a separate Board vote on a fireworks permit at that time.
Organizers requested continued coordination with town police, fire and state permitting agencies; staff said they would follow up with permitting and enforcement details as the event approaches.
