Dec 10, 2003 By Christine Haines 3 min read

BROWNSVILLE – The Greater Brownsville Area Chamber of Commerce is hoping the third time is the charm for this year’s light-up night. The annual event was initially scheduled for the Friday after Thanksgiving, but it was cancelled when rain meant that the luminarias couldn’t be put out on the streets.

Light-up was rescheduled for Friday, Dec. 5, but was again cancelled due to the snow that prevented fire trucks from participating in the annual parade for safety reasons.

“Light-up night has been cancelled twice. We’ll try again for Friday,” said Frank Ricco, president of the Greater Brownsville Area Chamber of Commerce, which sponsors the event.

“We’ll light up the town whether we can put the luminarias out or not.”

Light-up night is traditionally the first night that the town’s Christmas decorations are lit. Ricco said the decorations lining Market Street will be lit from 5 until 10 p.m. starting this Friday, even if other light-up night activities have to be rescheduled due to inclement weather.

“If we get bogged down again, we’ll shoot for next Wednesday (Dec. 17) at North Side Fire Hall to hand out the treats at 7 p.m.,” Ricco said.

Ideally, the chamber is hoping for good weather this Friday so the full celebration can be held, including a parade through Hiller, Brownsville, West Brownsville and Blainesburg followed by a Christmas carol sing-along, visits with Santa and treats at the North Side Fire Hall.

Meanwhile, Mayor Norma Ryan reported that the borough is in line for $300,000 from the federal government if an appropriations bill is passed this week.

The funds would be used for several community projects, including the completion of the Brownsville Riverside Wharf Park by improving road access and parking for the facility.

Ryan said Brownsville Borough and Brownsville Township are currently having a comprehensive plan prepared. Part of the plan includes surveying area residents. Copies of the survey are available at the mayor’s office and at the Flatiron Building Heritage Center. They must be completed and turned in by Dec. 19.

The chamber is currently in the process of electing nine directors for a three-year term. There are 27 chamber directors serving rotating three-year terms. Ballots will be opened Dec. 17. Chamber officers for 2004 will be selected in January.

Bill Johnson reported that the library had a successful fund drive, though it is not yet out of the woods financially.

“We’ve had a letter from our regional district service center that nothing has changed and the state intends to cut library funding by 50 percent,” Johnson said. “If we have to start cutting hours and things like that, we’re going to be in trouble.”

Johnson said the library will lose more state funding if it cuts hours. Funding is also based on service area, though Johnson said three of the communities in the library’s service area – Newell, Franklin and Jefferson – do not contribute to the library.

“It’s a Catch-22 thing. If we complain to the state that we get no support from those areas and ask them to cut our service area, they will reduce our funding,” Johnson said.