Fireworks for sale, not for use
By Jerry W. Kram
Fans of small explosives got good news and bad news at the last meeting of the New Town City Council. Fireworks will be available for sale in New Town this Fourth of July. However, their use inside city limits will continue to be banned.
Council members amended the second reading of the proposed ordinance that was requested by Brent Wollschlager and Ryan Wheeling. The two men requested a change to New Town’s fireworks ban because they wish to sell them during the upcoming Independence Day holiday.
Council member Doug Bratvold, who is an assistant fire chief with the New Town Fire Department, opposed the original revised ordinance.
“Even with the ban we have a problem with fireworks in New Town,” Bratvold said. “Every year we have several fire calls that time of year. Roofs have caught on fire. It sucks to be called out at one in the morning for a fire.”
Bratvold said he had no problem with selling fireworks in town as long as the use of fireworks continued to be banned. Council members Jesse Baker and Thomas Nash, who are also members of the fire department, concurred.
Wollschlager said he had no problem with continuing to ban the use of fireworks in New Town, as long as he could sell them. Wheeling pointed out that all the city ordinances he presented at the May council meeting either completely banned or completely allowed the sale and use of fireworks. He wasn’t opposed to the use ban, but said it would be the only ordinance like that in the region.
