TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—Many residents gave the volunteer-organized 10th Annual Fall Festival on Saturday, Oct. 5, glowing reviews.
Some have since questioned why many tens of thousands of public dollars set aside for the event evidently were not identified to the event’s organizer, who raised funds instead from wristband sales and some activity fees along with significant donations.
The festival, drawing an estimated 3,000 to Memorial Field, featured a health and wellness theme, with giveaways from the Board of Health, Green Team, Washington Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps, and the police and fire departments.
Entertainment was by the popular Ambition Dance Team, DP Martial Arts Troupe, flag football cheerleaders, kids yoga, face painting, and balloon art.
Nicholas Markets Foodtown sold festival fare—hamburgers, hot dogs, and chicken fingers—and healthier options. Food truck sausages, ice cream, and Italian ices worked wonders.
Huge with kids, of course, were the usual variety of large inflatables. The included petting zoo and (some say too brief) $5 pony rides were popular.
Amid the petting-zoo’s goats, alpaca, and bunnies, the piglets—their tiny tails wagging—melted hearts for sure.
New this year was the zip line: 300 feet of high flying adventure for a nominal fee per ride.
The Golden Seniors once again delivered a flawless Ping- Pong ball fishbowl toss. The Contemporary Women’s Club hosted the sand art table.
Town T-shirts were available for sale, as were—new this year—reusable township canvas bags, saving the planet one bag at a time.
Emergency services demos included the Fire Department, Bergen County Sheriff SWAT and K-9 units, the Washington Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps, and a landing and static display of the HUMC AirMed One helicopter.
The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office rocked its cyber crimes vehicle. Life Savers, Inc., distributor of the Automatic Emergency Defibrillator (AED), gave life-saving demonstrations.
The WTPD Coffee with a Cop tent, popcorn included, was residents’ most recent chance to meet police officers and pick up a memento.
Public library staff featured a teal pumpkin craft for allergy-friendly trick-or-treater homes: Putting a teal pumpkin on your doorstep means you have non-food treats available, such as glow sticks or small toys. (This simple act promotes inclusion for trick-or-treaters with food allergies or other conditions.)
At the Kids’ Entrepreneur Corner, township youth, 8–18, banked on their wares, ranging from painting to bracelets to self-published novels.
Boy Scouts of Troop 321 demonstrated knots and lashings. Cub Scout Pack 228 set up a campground and offered do-it-yourself s’mores and popcorn sales.
Could admission and more have been ‘free’?
This being the township, the event’s finances prompted a lively discussion.
After Council President Michael DeSena, at the mayor and council meeting of Oct. 7, complained that residents had to pay for wristbands and rides when money was set aside in the budget to make this a free event, several folks said what they wound up paying was well worth the expense.
Councilman Robert Bruno posted a section of the township budget showing a Dec. 31, 2018 balance for special events as $105,116, which he said is “enough to cover the cost for five years. All sponsor money going forward can virtually self-fund the program.”
He said, “The money is in the bank and earmarked in a reserve specific for public events. There are also other reserves set aside for activities that sit idle and should also be used for the designated activity.”
Resident Christine Riedel posted, “I was totally fine with paying $20 for three pony rides and all-day inflatables. Maybe a wristband for all of the attractions on an unlimited basis would be better but I wasn’t turned off by the cost (granted this was for only one kid).”
She added, “My 3-year-old was actually on the free Fun Bus for over 30 minutes and I had to drag her out of Town Day.”
Riedel told Pascack Press she spent another $10 on food, drinks, and Italian ice, “so I spent around $30 for the two of us to enjoy four hours out of the house in the beautiful weather, expelling energy instead of someone coloring on my walls.”
DeSena took heat for saying at the dais that it was “a disgrace” residents to had to pay, when this became misconstrued as a criticism of the event as a whole.
He set the record straight, praising volunteers’ work and suggesting event organizer Daisy Velez pursue the issue with Mayor Peter Calamari and the town administration.
He said, “$80,000 is in reserve in the budget to be used for Town Day or Fall Festival. This was discussed in a lot of detail during the preparation of the 2018 and 2019 [budgets].”
DeSena said the council was “totally unaware of the wristbands or any charges to residents,” calling these expenses “an administrative decision which was ill-advised.”
He added, “The event was great and thank you for all you and your team did and do for the township. However, the fact is $80,000 was available to cover costs.”
Velez, who leads public affairs for the township, told “naysayers” in the conversation, “No money was allocated for Town Day. Donations came in because my volunteers hustled—and had they not you would really have something to talk about.”
She said, “I’m very proud of my volunteers, who worked countless hours to bring our town a tremendous day! And I am very happy with our execution of the day! To my volunteers reading all this nonsense [on Facebook], you know our ‘budget’ and you certainly know our hustle! THANK YOU!”
She urged more residents volunteer and attend meetings.
Calamari represented the town at the event with his wife. He told Pascack Press at the event how nice it was that everyone seemed to be having fun and how lovely the weather had turned out.
He did not respond to a request for comment on the event’s budget by press time.
Disclosure: The author is a township resident who had a great time at Fall Fest/Town Day with his wife and a son, catching up with friends and neighbors. Like others who’ve commented on the petting zoo, he really wants to adopt a piglet.