Quincy working to ban fireworks

QUINCY - Quincy is moving forward with plans to ban fireworks in the city by 2013.

The city council agreed with creating an ordinance to limit fireworks during a recent meeting. The decision comes after residents complained about the amount and types being used during the Fourth of July.

The city's Public Safety Committee decided the best way to control the use of fireworks in the city is a complete ban, Police Chief Richard Ackerman said.

The city ordinance allows "safe and sane" fireworks to be used. The limitation creates enforcement problems because officers need to determine whether the fireworks are allowed, often after they are used.

"We had complaints at all four corners of the city, not just one particular area," he said. "We had some folks that didn't want to make reports, but they were in fear of driving down their own street because people had taken over the whole street."

Some residents do use legal fireworks, Ackerman said, but others choose to ignore the regulation, buying fireworks on reservations, and setting off explosives equivalent to a half-stick of dynamite.

Along with the explosives, Ackerman said he found debris from bottle rockets around the city. Demonstrating the size of one he found on his lawn, the chief held his thumb and forefinger in an 1-inch apart.

"You're finding almost professional-grade fireworks being let off in the city with little or no control of any kind," he said. "The ordinance that we currently have is basically unenforceable. It's so vague and we'd have to have probably a five-day training session for everybody in law enforcement to try to understand what is safe-and-sane and what is not."

In contrast, a complete ban would be easy to enforce, Ackerman said.

Councilmember Scott Lybbert questioned the proposal, saying a ban would drive people out into county to use their fireworks.

"The concern I had, Scott, was that it was definitely out of control this year," Mayor Jim Hemberry replied. "I don't think you can fix the problem with increased enforcement, so the only way I think you can start is to completely ban them."

If the council wants to bring fireworks back after a while, they can, Hemberry said.

Councilmember Tony Gonzalez supported the ban, asking what would happen during the year the city would need to wait before it could enforce it.

"What are you going to do when you pick up a 13-year-old, a couple of 12-year-olds with nice looking firecrackers that don't belong here?" he asked. "Are we going to go through another ordinance? Are we going to put you in jail for two days or are we going to call mom and pop?"

All of the city residents will need to be part of enforcing the present regulations, Gonzalez said.

If the city decides to pursue the ban, Ackerman said the police will start educating residents about the ordinance.

"We'll most likely do the spirit of the law versus than the letter of the law for a while," he said.

Ackerman compared the process to a situation after this year's Fourth of July, when police found a 7-year-old child setting off fireworks in an alley. Police spoke to the child, telling him to stop and informed his parents about the situation.

"We seized those fireworks and destroyed them," he said. "At some point, we'd obviously have to start writing tickets for those who blatantly ignore ... the ban."

Lybbert proposed limiting firework usage to a city park during the Fourth of July.

"I feel like you need to be able to go somewhere," he said.

Grant County Fire District 3 Chief Don Fortier replied if the councilmembers chose that option, they needed to be comfortable allowing alcohol in the park.

"They're not going to want one without the other," he said. "That's probably where some of our problems begin. They're drinking heavily. They're shooting off fireworks. We've got to stop one or the other."

Fortier didn't like proposing the change, but he felt people aren't being responsible with fireworks anymore, he said.

Lybbert replied people can potentially bring alcohol to other major activities in the park.

"My kids are done. I didn't shoot anything this year. I could simply stand up and say, 'I don't care anymore. I'm done with it,' but I just know if I had a family and some small kids, I'd like a place to go. I'd like a place I could do it."

Hemberry said the committee discussed the possibility, and it's something the council could discuss further.

Lybbert agreed with drafting an ordinance if the city looked at opening a space and allowed people to use fireworks there.

"I don't know if that will work, but we can certainly discuss it," Hemberry said.