Emails contradict public explanation on timeline to cancel July 3 fireworks (2024)

MILWAUKEE —

For more than a month, Milwaukee County officials waited to publicly disclose the decision to cancel the popular July 3 fireworks, all while staff quietly developed a plan to handle the expected negative response and what at least two officials described as a “reputational risk,” according to emails documenting the concerns and strategy.

The emails are among more than 200 records provided to 12 News Investigates through the Wisconsin Open Records Law, and reveal an earlier timespan than initially reported by 12 News between when the decision to cancel had been made and the late Friday afternoon announcement to the community on Memorial Day weekend.

The decision was reached between Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and Milwaukee County Parks Executive Director Guy Smith, according to a Milwaukee County Parks Foundation Board of Directors Executive Director Report. The report was listed in an April 22 email as a confidential attachment ahead of the next foundation board meeting.

“Due to the inability to raise the funds necessary to host the fireworks ($275K needed, $50K raised), County Executive David Crowley and Director Guy Smith have agreed to not host fireworks this year,” the report said.

The revelation in the report immediately raised concern for the possibility of backlash against the decision when the decision eventually became public.

“I believe the fireworks not happening this year presents a reputational risk for [Milwaukee Parks Foundation],” foundation board member Tami Garrison wrote the following day.

“When the information about fireworks becomes public, many people may look to place blame. And we could be in the line of sight for that. We may want to even go so far as to prepare a media statement should this escalate and/or work in tandem with [Milwaukee County Parks] on a joint statement,” Garrison added.

A spokesperson for the County Executive did not reply to a request for comment on the decision.

SECURING ADDITIONAL SPONSORS

According to the emails 12 News Investigates reviewed, the $50,000 raised had been secured long before the cancellation announcement when there had been no doubt about the event moving forward.

“Long story short, we are a GO! For the fireworks, we just need to find additional philanthropic support,” Milwaukee County Parks Foundation Executive Director Rebecca Stoner wrote in a Feb. 27 email responding to American Family Insurance Senior Partnership Development Advisor Ranell Washington, who had inquired whether there was any movement with the fireworks.

“We are actually meeting with the County Exec’s office tomorrow to map out a plan for bringing the fireworks back this year with a scaled back show similar to last year,” Stoner wrote in the email.

Eight days later, and still with only the $50K raised, a Milwaukee County Parks official inquired whether the foundation would make a public push for support.

“Is the foundation sending out a formal [press release] asking for support?” Milwaukee County Parks Communications Manager Luke Roman asked. “Just curious in what ways you all plan to push fundraising.”

“We don’t plan to do any press/media around the sponsorship needs,” Stoner replied on March 6, adding, “Our hope is we can close this out with a few conversations.”

When asked about the sponsorship plan, Stoner told 12 News Investigates, "It is not standard practice to solicit $25,000+ gifts via a press release."

"We've had dozens of conversations over the years with donors about supporting the July 3rd fireworks show. In 2024, the private sponsorship simply did not come together due to lack of interest from funders," she added in an email Friday, June 28.

Stoner declined an on-camera interview.

PRIVATE DISCLOSURES & THE RNC CONVENTION

According to the records, the first indication any county or foundation official started to share the news of the cancellation came in an April 15 email exchange between Stoner and Washington.

"I am sorry to say we have not had the success in fundraising for fireworks that we hoped and we aren't in a position to put on the fireworks display this year," Stoner wrote in the conciliatory message. The email also provides an even earlier timestamp window to indicate when the decision to cancel could have been made.

The email was copied to Guy Smith, the Milwaukee County Parks Executive Director.

By May 1, Stoner had also privately shared the news of the cancellation with an official at Northwestern Mutual and Summerfest, respectively, the emails show.

Stoner, however, was persistent in wanting to alert Ted Kellner, a businessman and philanthropist, whom Stoner said previously contributed $200,000 for the fireworks in recent years “with the hopes that other donors would pitch in and continue the legacy.”

“Since that hasn't happened, he should be alerted sooner rather than later given his generosity and passion for fireworks,” Stoner wrote May 5 to Jonathan Fera, Communications Director for County Executive David Crowley.

“As the gift came through the Milwaukee Parks Foundation, we do have some reputational risk and if others found out before he did we would look bad,” Stoner said of her wish to inform Kellner immediately.

In addition to his philanthropic efforts, Kellner is also the Chief Executive Officer of the 2024 Milwaukee Host Committee for the Republican National Convention in July.

On May 20, four days before the cancellation was announced publicly, Stoner drafted a letter to Kellner, explaining additional factors — beyond money — were reasons for cancelling the fireworks.

“Some more factors that played into this decision include the RNC, which as you likely know, will be using many nearby facilities and parks to set up in July,” Stoner wrote in the draft.

“Additionally, starting in 2025, Harley Fest will be happening annually in Veteran's Park, and will be setting up starting the first week of July. This means that moving forward, the July 3 fireworks show won't be feasible,” Stoner added in the draft. Stoner included the draft in an email to Smith and Fera asking whether she or the county executive should send the letter to Kellner.

In a subsequent email, Stoner said she would remove the language about Harley in the message to Kellner and schedule the email to go to him at 3 p.m. on May 24.

In the June 28 email to 12 News Investigates, Stoner did not address the role the Republican convention or Harley Fest may have played in the decision to cancel the fireworks, despite being asked directly.

PLANNING THE FRIDAY ‘NEWS DUMP’

The emails 12 News Investigates reviewed suggest the public relations staff who knew of the cancellation intentionally waited until an hour before the close of business on the Friday before Memorial Day (May 24) to share the unpleasant news with the public.

“We have some press events taking place this week that we would like to prevent any questions coming in from the media towards folks attending them prior to the release coming out,” Roman, the Milwaukee County Parks Communications Director, wrote to Stoner in a May 20 email.

The plan, according to a May 22 email from Roman, provided a timeline for the information to trickle out publicly. The initial correspondences were to go to staff and vendors at 3 p.m., an embargoed news release to reporters at 3:15 p.m. and hold a virtual news conference at 4 p.m.

Putting an “embargo” on a news release is a general practice government agencies, companies or businesses use to share information with reporters, with the understanding the information won’t be published until a certain time, which often can benefit the entity with maximum impact of saturated news coverage.

Alternately, targeting a late Friday afternoon ahead of a holiday weekend to share unpleasant information follows a practice known as a “Friday News Dump,” when public officials, government agencies and businesses purposely release bad news or information to avoid larger scrutiny from news organizations heading into a weekend.

With the updated timeline laid out in the emails, 12 News Investigates asked Roman to provide any additional specifics and context between Stoner’s April 15 email revealing the decision had been made and the public announcement on May 24.

Regarding a question on the exact date the decision was made, Roman, in an email to 12 News Investigates on June 27, pointed to Smith’s comments in the May 24 virtual news conference.

Smith, that day, said the organization had been seeking sponsorship for more than a year.

“We did some last-ditch efforts and we weren't able to make it,” he said, without providing specifics. “By mid-May, we knew that we wouldn't be able to secure the vendors. We didn't have the dollars. And so, that's why we're coming to the public now. So, we are getting closer to July 3. We wanted to let people know as soon as we knew that we weren't able to make this happen.”

The statement conflicts with Stoner’s April 15 email, which she copied Smith on, telling an American Family Insurance sponsor the decision had already been made.

In the virtual news conference, Smith told reporters even if a sponsor came forward to offer support, it would be too late to salvage the fireworks show, citing a combination of rising costs and budget constraints.

At no point during the virtual news conference did Smith mention whether the Republican National Convention or Harley Fest were additional factors in the decision. He did, however, close any hope of future fireworks displays.

“At this point, we believe that the third of July fireworks have run their course,” Smith said that day.

In the June 27 email, Roman said Smith was not available for an on-camera interview.

ALTERNATE FIREWORKS CELEBRATIONS

• Cudahy: Sheridan Park
• Glendale: Kletzsch Park
• Hales Corners: Hales Corners Park
• South Milwaukee: Grant Park
• City of Milwaukee:
  • Alcott Park
  • Enderis Playfied (No fireworks - celebration only)
  • Gordon Park
  • Humboldt Park
  • Jackson Park
  • King Park (No fireworks - celebration only)
  • Lake Park
  • Lincoln Park
  • Mitchell Park
  • Noyes Park
  • Washington Park
  • Wilson Park