EVERETT — Hundreds gathered on Everett’s waterfront on the Fourth of July last year, expecting a full firework show, but instead they were met with a few short blasts and a whole lot of nothing.
Now, the city will give the company behind it another chance.
Despite last year’s firework flop, the Everett City Council approved another contract worth $75,000 with Western Display Fireworks on Wednesday night.
A few months after the incident, Western Display reported the malfunction was the result of an “oversight from a former employee,” city project manager Tyler Chism said Wednesday.
The council voted 5-1 in favor of a new contract with Western Display Fireworks. All voted in favor except for City Council member Liz Vogeli, who opposed. Council member Judy Tuohy was absent from the meeting.
The day after the malfunction, Western Display apologized to the city, and overnighted a check for a full refund, Chism said. They assured the next display will go through extra precautions to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
There is one big difference in the new contract: A line ensuring a full refund in case the display fails to launch.
Western Display, based out of Oregon, has handled Everett’s firework shows since 2012.
The show is set to be the same as it was in 2022, lasting around 20 minutes, the contract reads. Around 50,000 people are expected to attend the show this year.
Ashley Nash: 425-339-3037; ashley.nash@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @ash_nash00.
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