County approves $10,000 sponsorship for FreedomFest fireworks

The St. Mary’s County commissioners voted Dec. 2 to provide a $10,000 sponsorship for FreedomFest fireworks after a presentation by Deputy County Administrator David Yingling describing a promoter’s offer to host a free, family‑friendly event.

Yingling told the commission that a promoter (identified in the transcript as Mr. Simons) had proposed staging an all‑day event with vendors and activities and would contract with a local pyrotechnics firm to provide fireworks. He said the county’s requested contribution would be $10,000 "to the fireworks provider" and that the promoter would cover other on‑site costs through vendor fees and by paying security to the sheriff’s office. Yingling described estimated attendance from prior years of about 5,000–8,000 residents.

Commissioners asked whether admission and entry to the fairgrounds would be free (Yingling confirmed admission was free) and whether the county should cap sponsorship at amounts that merely defray costs rather than subsidize promoter profit. Yingling said the county’s role in this model would be to supplement the fireworks cost and that the sheriff’s office involvement for crowd safety would be paid by the promoter.

Action taken: A motion to transfer $10,000 from the commissioners’ reserve to the county administrator’s account to sponsor FreedomFest fireworks and to authorize the commissioner president to sign related documents passed on a voice vote recorded on the transcript as ayes.

Next steps: Staff will execute the transfer and related agreements; the transcript indicates the county administrator’s office will finalize terms with the promoter. The county did not specify additional terms or a reporting requirement in the meeting excerpt.