Budget Looks at July 4th Celebration.

The Budget Ways and Means Committee will meet tonight in City Hall for their regular monthly meeting. Consideration and discussion of the status of the planned July 4th fireworks and celebration is scheduled.

A proposed contract with Phillips-Ward & Associates of Joplin to organize and promote the 4th of July event was referred to the Budget Ways and Means Committee last week by the Public Services Committee Negotiations to reduce the fee was requested. The fee for handling the event was initially proposed at $12,000 to be paid in three installments of $4,000 each on May 1, June 1, and July 1. This would be in addition to the cost of the actual fireworks display. No other proposals have been considered by the Committee. Funding for the event will come from $15,000 allocated by the City Council and approximately $22,000 pledged from outside sources.

A tentative schedule of activities include a twilight golf outing on July 3, a sporting activity, children’s activities, a variety of food vendors, a food festival or cookout, musical entertainment, and fireworks orchestrated to music.

There are some fund-raisers that give recognition to those who donate by puttin’ their name on a plaque or a brick that seem to be successful. Lookin’ at the cost of fireworks, how about this one, it might be fun and make a good show.

While the radio is playin’ the music along with the fireworks goin’ off, announce who paid for each explosion. Folks could buy the $15 or $20 pop, or a portion of the show. If the idea could be sold, folks who donated to the cause would be sure to want to see their display and guarantee a good turnout.

‘Course for those who think the display is a waste of money, the announcement could just give a price for each pop, with a subtotal after each burst. "Boom, twinkle, twinkle, twinkle. There goes sixty bucks!"

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Workman's Loan

The Super Handyman

Dear Al & Kelly: I made some inexpensive shades for our lake cabin. I purchased some plain vinyl shades at a discount store and then covered them with fabric to match the furniture in the rooms.

I just sprayed the shades with an adhesive and then pressed the fabric onto the vinyl. They look super; people say they thought we hired a professional to do the job. As an added bonus, the fabric combined with the vinyl really helps to block out the sun’s heat. — J.S.

Q: This year we would like to put a small garden in our backyard. We would like to use some railroad ties that we have access to, but are worried about the harmful chemicals that they are coated with. Are they safe to use for a garden border? — C.B.

A: Railroad crossties are treated with creosote, which could leach out and kill some of your plants.

Some gardening experts, however, say that the ties are usually so old that they no longer pose a threat to plant life.

To be on the safe side, you should use pressure-treated landscape timbers, which are available at home centers.

Dear Carrells: The rod that fits into my closet doesn’t reach all the way from one side to the other. It fits with the aid of two brackets - one on each side. The problem is that when you move hangers along the rod, sometimes the rod will slide out of a bracket, creating a huge mess.

I finally fixed it with a couple of rubber bands. I slipped a couple of them on the ends of the rod, and now it doesn’t want to slide much and hardly ever falls out of the brackets anymore.

You also could install a small screw at each end of the rod, right next to each bracket. That would keep the rod from sliding.