'Butler Day' Could Include Fireworks, Vendors, Rides This Year

The Borough of Butler could join neighboring communities in offering a day of town pride should plans for the first ever Butler Day go through.

Two members of the Butler Recreation Commission, Shelli Taggart and Robert Soules, approached the Butler Council Tuesday to talk about their preliminary plans for an event to be held on May 25 (rain date on May 26). Taggart explained that she envisions fireworks over one of the school fields with vendor booths, music, possibly rides and neighborly fun.

"These were just ideas that were thrown out," Taggart said.

Although without fireworks, Bloomingdale hosts its own Pride Day and Kinnelon has hosted K-Fest for the past two years.

Some council members had concerns with the initial plans for Butler's event. Councilman Ray Verdonik said his main issue was with using the fields to host the festivities.

"We worked really hard to get those fields and I'd hate to see one day ruin them," he said.

Taggart said she understood Verdonik's concerns and the commission would work to come up with a solution that keeps the fields, and the track, in mind.

"If it means that we block off the track until people sit for fireworks, then that's what we'll do," she said.

Soules also noted that the day organizers are hoping to host the event is in between the baseball season and when the fields are prepared for the coming year. Councilman Robert Meier suggested putting bleachers near the Richard Butler School so that people could view fireworks from there.

Councilman Robert Fox was initially concerned about the fireworks, themselves, but ultimately said he was in favor of the planning moving forward on the event.

"Basically, a lot of people have been asking for a day like this. Maybe you guys will be the ones that finally do it," he said.

More plans will be discussed at the Butler Council's March 5 meeting at 7 p.m. in the conference room at One Ace Road.