Fireworks ban debate heats up
MOSES LAKE — The term "war zone" came up more than once from members of the Moses Lake city council when describing the fireworks that blaze through the city's skies each Independence Day.
The desire for safety from that zone led the majority of council members to support a fireworks ban inside the city limits, but not before the issue physically divided a cramped council chambers Tuesday evening. Moses Lake currently allows fireworks sales for one week surrounding Independence Day, but has limited firing them off to July 4. State law requires a one-year phasing-in period, so final action would not impact celebrations this summer.
The council voted 6-1 in favor of the ban on its first reading before them, with final consideration of the ban scheduled for May 10. About 60 residents turned out for the meeting. Councilman Jim Liebrecht was the sole vote against the proposal, and said he wanted to put the ban to a public vote. Liebrecht said he knew it would cost $10,000 to put the measure on the ballot, but said he wanted the people to have the final say.
Councilman Richard Pearce however, felt an election was not the answer, and questioned the spending of election costs when the council could make the decision itself. Pearce said when factoring in costs including injuries and cleanup following Independence Day, the city would be better off to give local nonprofit groups a donation of the $15,000 they earn from stands each year.
"We'd be better off giving $15,000 to charity and not having fireworks, and we'd save ourselves money," Pearce said. "Because the cost to the city and the citizens is a lot more than that."
Having proponents on one side of the room and opponents on the other led by Rich Archer, a director of the off-road vehicle club the Sand Scorpions, to comment on the divide the ban had brought.
"It looks like you've got the dos and the don'ts," he said. "And I guarantee you the don'ts did at one time."
Archer came out in opposition to the ban, and told council members that every cent raised by his organization's fireworks stand goes back into the community in the form of donations, and for education and activities for the Scorpions. He said their stand informs people about the proper handling of fireworks, and noted a person must be 18 to purchase them.
After hearing of the responsible handling of fireworks from some members of the audience, Mayor Ron Covey said the room may have been full of responsible people, but said others are not as responsible with the devices. Covey said fund-raising is important, but does not outweigh the need for public safety.
"I can't honestly sit up here and say I'm willing to gamble on the fingers or the eyesight or the life of a child in our community," Covey said, adding he couldn't put a dollar amount on the public safety the ban would provide.
When asked if the police department could better combat the system if a full ban were in place, Police Chief Dean Mitchell responded in the affirmative.
"There's no question because a lot of times there's a question as to whether they're legal or illegal," Mitchell said, noting the question of legal and illegal wouldn't be an issue if all fireworks were illegal.
Jack Childress has been one resident pushing for a ban after witnessing damage throughout his neighborhood, including a hedge on his own property that he said took 20 years to grow and cost $10,000 in damage to his property. Childress said he hopes people will watch the city's display, and said the city do a better job anyway.
As the owner of Discount Fireworks, Jack Hughes of Oroville pointed to the fact that his company's three stands in Moses Lake were run by nonprofit groups. Last year those groups earned approximately $15,000, and Hughes said the company spent about $2,600 in lodging, food and fuel in Moses Lake last year.
Don Thomason said he served 25 years in a military uniform so people would have the right and the privilege to do what they wanted to, but said he felt sorry for the fire and police crews patrolling on July 4.
"I have a lot of respect for the city of Moses Lake, and I'd like to think that the city of Moses Lake is a growing community and that they continue growing in a civilized manner, and I don't call setting off fireworks civilized," Thomason said.
Peny Archer said in addition to the money the Sand Scorpions organization raises every year from fireworks, she characterized the ability to light off those fireworks as a rite of passage similar to a 16-year-old getting a driver's license.
"I want you to know there's a whole lot more riding on this than a burning bush and nervous dogs," Peny Archer said.
Last summer was the first for Summer Overberg in Moses Lake, and she told council members about the fire that broke out on her property last July by fireworks that destroyed her fence.
"Everyone's talking about rights and privileges, and I guess my question is, is it a right or a privilege for me to stay safe in my home?" asked Overberg.
Bob Heikell, however, questioned the city's ability to enforce the ban. He said while fireworks may not be a right, they have been an American tradition for many years.
"I'm 100 percent four square against this fireworks ban for a whole bunch of reasons," Heikell said. "The safety thing, yeah, there's danger in fireworks but there's danger in kitchen knives. There's danger in back yard swimming pools and there's danger in going hunting. There's danger in walking down the street and there's danger in motorcycles."
Susan LeBlanc said she didn't want to have her taxes have to pay for the hiring of extra people just so some citizens could have a good time.
"Our Fourth of July, we are trapped at home. We cannot leave the house, we cannot go anywhere," said LeBlanc. "We have to stand there with our water hoses out, and that's how I spend my Fourth of July."
Councilman Brent Reese had been on the fence about fireworks. But Reese said in voting in favor of the ban that the city is growing, and fireworks are going to be harder and harder to control as the city continues to get bigger and bigger.