BOOM TIME!
The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors are making no changes in policy regarding fireworks.
In the wake of Gov. Terry Branstad signing legislation allowing for the legal sale and use of fireworks statewide, the supervisors met with Montgomery County Sheriff Joe Sampson at the May 23 meeting.
Part of the new state law requires vendors to have the structures they are using to sell fireworks undergo an inspection. Due to the volume of vendors statewide, Supervisor Donna Robinson said those inspections will likely have to be performed by the county.
“People will have to clear it with the county, and the inspections will fall on the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and the fire departments in each community in Montgomery County,” Robinson said.
The sale of fireworks, should the selling locations pass inspection, are between June 1 and July 8. In order to sell fireworks, sellers must have a business license and a retail fireworks license from the Iowa State Fire Marshal’s Office.
The supervisors discussed the possibility of an ordinance restricting the usage of fireworks, however, it was determined there was not enough time to pass an ordinance before the new fireworks law went into effect, as the ordinance would have to be coordinated with multiple locations around the county.
The Red Oak and Essex city councils are considering ordinance to limit the use of fireworks in their communities. Robinson said the Villisca City Council is waiting to see what other communities do before taking any action.
In the past, the county has issued fireworks permits for the use of fireworks. Supervisor Steve Ratcliff said he didn’t think fireworks permits should be issued this year. Supervisor Mike Olson agreed.
“I don’t see how we can charge for a permit, without an ordinance or something in the books, especially when the state approved it,” Olson said.
Robinson said she was hopeful that if they did not issue permits this year, that county residents using fireworks let the sheriff’s office know.
“Just from a safety standpoint, in case anything happens, so emergency personnel know where to go if there’s an accident,” Robinson said.
Ratcliff said due to the timing, he preferred the county take a wait-and-see attitude for the upcoming Fourth of July holiday, with the potential for an ordinance in the future.
“Over the next year, we can look at a county ordinance saying a person has to buy a county permit to light them, and if they don’t get that permit, they get their fireworks confiscated and a fine,” said Supervisor Bryant Amos.
The supervisors agreed to take no action on ordinance regarding fireworks.