Wildwood BBQ Bash Impacted by Federal Sequester

It may sound unlikely, but the across-the-board budget cuts forced on the federal government means Wildwood is paying more to help hold the annual festival.

The city of Wildwood provides a variety of services to assist the organizers of the annual BBQ festival in the fall, and this year, actions in Washington, D.C., are driving up some of those costs.

The services include things like setting up off-site transportation, providing restroom facilities, and string up lights and placing generators. That last item is usually performed by a unit of the National Guard.

However, at a meeting on June 24, the city’s director of parks and planning, Joe Vujnich had some bad news.

“The national guard no longer can provide services under the budget actions of congress over the past years,” he said.

Instead, the city has bid the work out to a private business, Gaehle Contracting Services, for a cost of $9,500, a $3,000 increase from last year.

Luckily, the rising price has been offset but a similar reduction in the city’s contract with First Student for Bussing Services. The net effect is that the city will spend about $3,000 less than it budgeted for the event.