A fireworks show will provide the grand finale to this year’s Dillo Day festivities, Mayfest co-chairs Katie Halpern and Michael Gebhardt announced at Associated Student Government’s Senate meeting Wednesday night, after Senate voted to provide $1,400 from the project pool to fund the display.
“At the close of the night, we are hoping to have fireworks on North Beach to culminate Dillo Day and the year with a bang,” said Gebhardt, a Weinberg junior.
A fireworks show at the end of the night was part of Dillo Day tradition until 2006 and was always funded like other production costs as a line item during the normal funding process, Gebhardt said. The fireworks haven’t taken place in the last few years due to logistical reasons related to the location of the stage.
Halpern and Gebhardt came before Senate to request $1,400 in funding for the show, which will cost a total of about $5,000, so the show could take place without “running (Mayfest’s) funds down” and being detrimental to future years. They added the other costs of the show would be funded by the Center for Student Involvement, which is providing a total of $5,000 to fund various “Lakefill activities” and the fireworks.
In addition to making Dillo Day as “fun and epic as ever,” Halpern said the fireworks will hopefully cultivate a “happier neighborhood surrounding.” Dillo Day has been unpopular with Evanston residents, with many people complaining about the noise of the “flood” of students leaving the Lakefill and heading back to their neighborhoods after the last concert. The Weinberg senior said the fireworks will keep students on the Lakefill longer and cause them to return to their residences in a more orderly “trickle.”
“We have been in conversation with people from the biggest conflict areas, and they are far happier with the prospect of fireworks,” she said. “They would rather us have more noise on our property and less on the street.”
Earlier during the meeting, Weinberg sophomore Michael Jan was confirmed by Senate and sworn in as vice president of technology. Jan said some of his goals in the position include creating an online yearbook and making ASG more visible on campus.
Senate also voted on code review and passed an “ad hoc accountability” bill, which will require the ASG president to get Senate’s approval to create ad hoc committees. Off-campus senator and SESP senior Dan Diorio, who spoke on the legislation, said this will maintain the system of checks and balances in ASG.
Residence Hall Association District 2 Senator Naveen Nallappa also introduced legislation for ASG to help fund a bike share program beginning in the fall. The Weinberg freshman said Norris Outdoors has agreed to start a program, which is expected to cost between $4,000 and $5,000. ASG is being asked to fund $1,000, which will determine how large the program can be. He said the bikes cost $330 each and the program will “hopefully” be free to students. Senate will vote on the legislation next week.
