CHARLOTTE UYENO / PVT Fireworks lit up the sky Friday and then, as seen here, Saturday nights. RELATED STORY PHOTOS: A bright and lively Fourth Advertisement

There were some "disappointed and devastated" attendees at the Town of Pahrump's Picnic at the Park celebration for Independence Day, held on Friday, July 3, at Petrack Park, according to Pahrump Town Board Vice Chairman Bill Dolan.

He said the main reasons people complained to him were because there was nothing to do in the park before the fireworks began and because petitioners from Recalls R Us were there. "People didn't like them interrupting their day.

"There were no vendor booths, no food and no entertainment," said Dolan.

"At the April 14 town board meeting, item number seven on the agenda called for a decision on granting $25,000 for a fireworks show at Petrack Park. The only reason I made the motion to approve the money is because Lucy Ivins (then the executive director of the Pahrump Valley Chamber of Commerce) stood before the board and said the chamber would take care of arrangements for the event.

"The chamber dropped the ball," he said. "The town had nothing to do with the arrangements except for the fireworks.

"I was at the park with a group of people and everybody around us was sharing that they were very unhappy with the event, but they all said it was worth coming out to see the fireworks," Dolan continued.

"It should be for $1,250 a minute for the fireworks. A lot of people left the park when they didn't find the food booths and came back later to tailgate. Tons of people ended up tailgating with their families and friends."

Chamber Director Kelly Buffi was with Ivins at the town board meeting when the fireworks were discussed and approved for Petrack Park.

"It was never the intention to have a second event on the third of July," Buffi said. "The chamber was well into planning the festival scheduled for the fourth of July at the Nugget by the time the funds were approved for fireworks at Petrack Park.

"The chamber arranged for the Lions Club to sell soda and food and the chamber brought in a beer trailer for Petrack Park. People could buy beer and snow cones. It was a very laid-back type of thing."

Buffi said there were signs on Highway 160 advertising the Picnic in the Park on July 3 as well as thousands of flyers handed out and newspaper advertisements for both the picnic and the We the People Festival on July 4 at the Pahrump Nugget.

"I've heard people commenting on the lack of entertainment at Petrack Park, too, but I don't know where Bill Dolan would get the idea the chamber was arranging for things at the park," she said. "That really surprises me. I believe all along there was a question whether there was going to be fireworks at the park and that event had been moved (to the Pahrump Nugget). We weren't responsible for the park."

Buffi said planning meetings were held about the holiday events attended by people from the Pahrump Nugget, Pahrump Arts Council, Town Manager Bill Kohbarger as well as Ivins and herself. "It was known from the beginning that the event with the vendors and entertainment was moved to the Nugget," she explained.

"After all, how do you undo the agreements after they are already made? I heard from people who were disappointed and devastated, but the chamber was never involved in the celebration on the third."