ML weighs fireworks ban
MEDICAL LAKE – City leaders are considering banning fireworks, but want to hear what residents have to say first.
Resident Lahnie Henderson made it loud and clear at Tuesday’s City Council meeting that she favors a ban.
“One year, I even came and brought you a gallon bag full of fireworks debris that had landed in our yard that we picked up,” she told the council. “More debris was also on our house roof.
Illegal in many cities in Spokane County, fireworks are still legal in Medical Lake, but use is subject to strict rules and regulations.
Every year after the Fourth of July, many residents complain to the council about the noise, the mess and the danger fireworks pose. On May 6 the council agreed to let J&M LLC set up the stand that sells fireworks in Medical Lake in the weeks approaching the Fourth of July. That conversation sparked Councilwoman Shirley Maike to recommend the council have a discussion about whether to keep fireworks legal – and have that conversation soon, since any action the council may take to ban them must be in place for one year before it goes into effect. If the council wants to ban fireworks for 2009, a decision has to be made in the next month or so.
At Tuesday’s council meeting, the issue was on the agenda for discussion, but it was not an action item.
“I think we need to get a good understanding of what people want,” said Councilwoman Brenda Redell.
The council discussed sending out surveys in the utility bills to get a general feel for what residents think.
“A survey would at least reach out to everyone,” said Doug Ross, the city administrator.
One of the issues that seem to concern citizens is that many people from outside of Medical Lake come to town for the specific purpose of buying and setting off fireworks in the city’s public parks.
Another idea the council had was to educate the public about what the rules and regulations of fireworks are.
“Enforcement has always come up,” said Councilwoman Art Kulibert.
In other council news, the council approved a new chapter to the Medical Lake municipal code regarding public records requests. The new ordinance just spells out procedure.
Ross said the issue came up when Cynthia McMullen, the city attorney, attended a conference that discussed public records.
Finance Director Pamela McBroom said the other cities have bigger problems in responding to public records requests. Ross said that there is a substantial fine if the city doesn’t respond to a request within five days. The city does not have to have the information ready, but it just needs to get in contact with the person requesting the information to give an estimation of when the information will be available.
The next council meeting will be June 3.