GLENBURN, Maine — The Town Council asked during Thursday’s meeting that the planning board reconvene and reconsider how the town might go about regulating fireworks in Glenburn.
The planning board voted unanimously during a Feb. 14 meeting to recommend the council ban the sale and use of fireworks, but the four councilors at Thursday’s meeting weren’t ready to move forward without considering other options.
Fireworks became legal in Maine at the beginning of 2012, but the law allows individual communities to place permitting and other restrictions or outright bans.
Councilor Rhonda Curtis-Doughty said she would like to see the town keep itself open to potential business by allowing the sale of fireworks in town.
“It’s a big deal, it’s a big expense [to sell fireworks],” Curtis-Doughty said. “So if someone’s going to go to all that expense, I’d personally favor allowing them to do so.”
Council Chairman Michael O’Connor echoed that idea, saying that he felt only one or two large fireworks dealers would start up in the area and that Glenburn could be a viable home for their shops. Glenburn has been eyeing ways to draw more businesses into its largely rural community.
Curtis-Doughty also said she didn’t see any benefits to banning the use of fireworks in town because people will use them regardless of whether it’s legal to do so, especially during the Fourth of July holiday.
Councilor Mark Lagasse argued that the town could see a large number of people setting off fireworks and that could present safety risks, which was one of the reasons the planning board cited in suggesting a ban.
Safety concerns, however, should be the responsibilities of the residents using them, according to O’Connor.
“You have to learn to use them responsibly and you have to put the [onus] on the adults to teach and show that responsibility,” O’Connor said.
O’Connor and the rest of the council asked that the planning board go back and discuss what stipulations it would request in an ordinance that allowed for the sale and use of fireworks.
It doesn’t really make much sense……all of these cities, and smaller out skirt towns thinking that have to ban fire works? Why?
No one has even opened a business yet, no one will until it’s around the 4th. And then, when the celebration is completed, they will close up shop.. It’s not like it’s preventing people from having them, because they will get them either way; it’s not like you are saving lives, because there will be many, many more car accidents during that weekend then firework accidents.
Why can’t towns and cities wait and see how it’s going to pan out? If I had enough money, I would buy a bunch of fireworks, set up a tent in Brewer, sell em for a bunch of money and then leave. That’s what they do in other states. And if it doesn’t work well, then enact an ordinance next year……..have some faith in people, maybe they’ll have some back?
Towns and cities can only regulate the use and sale of fireworks, they cannot charge anyone for having them, think about it.
Cool – because the only thing that the dying lake in Glenburn needs is a bunch of fireworks castoffs, including sulfur, lead and trash. That will decrease the life span of Pushaw Lake to what, about 10 years?
The legalization of fireworks has caused a real nightmare in Skowhegan. I have an appointment in April with a realtor to sell my home.
Below is a one day’s worth of police log entries for fireworks, often ‘shots fired’ are people thinking it was gun shots, but turns out they are fireworks. It is not even warm out yet, it is not even summer yet, and fireworks are not even sold locally
yet.
ONE DAY’S WORTH OF FIREWORK COMPLAINTS:
ONE DAY:
Somerset County
Skowhegan
Dispatch Log for 02/17/2012
12-9665 1656 Shots Fired Complaint Investigated
Location/Address: [SKO] PALMER RD
ID: GUILMETTE , STANLEY
Disp-16:58:30 Clrd-17:10:15
12-9716 1937 Shots Fired Complaint Investigated
Location/Address: [SKO] WEST FRONT ST
ID: Wasiela , Kyle
Disp-19:38:40 Clrd-19:43:17
ID: Gayne , Jason
Disp-19:41:27 Clrd-19:48:04
12-9725 2008 Loud Noise/Music Investigated
Location/Address: [SKO] EAST CHANDLER ST
ID: Gayne , Jason
Disp-20:14:52 Clrd-20:34:38
12-9735 2039 Loud Noise/Music Investigated
Location/Address: [SKO] EAST CHANDLER ST
ID: Gayne , Jason
Disp-20:41:32 Arvd-20:45:16 Clrd-20:49:52
12-9768 2200 Loud Noise/Music Investigated
Location/Address: [SKO] NORTH AVE
ID: Gayne , Jason
Disp-23:28:39
Clrd-23:28:42
12-9755 2230 Shots Fired Complaint Could Not Locate
Location/Address: [SKO] WATERVILLE RD
ID: Wasiela , Kyle
Disp-22:31:00 Clrd-22:50:14
12-9758 2239 Shots Fired Complaint
Location/Address: [SKO] WEST FRONT ST
12-9766 2325 Loud Noise/Music Investigated
Location/Address: [SKO] CEDAR ST
ID: Gayne , Jason
Disp-23:26:24 Clrd-23:26:27
http://www.somersetcounty-me.org/SSC_NewsMedia/NewsMedia/DispatchLog.cfm?Checkdate=20120217
The idea that people are going use fireworks anyway is a rediculous reason to legalize them. Why would fireworks retailers set up shop in perhaps as many as 4 or 5 locations in Miane if they did not expect usage to grow significantly. Just because we make a little money from something does not mean we should legalize explosives that will ultimately injure adults and kids and more than likely start some fires. On top of that- do any of us really want to listen to fireworks going off next door at 11 P.M. This whole deal is one really bad idea that Maine citizens will tire of quickly this summer.