NEWPORT, Maine — Newport’s Board of Selectmen will let the voters decide whether or not to allow the use of fireworks in town.
At a public hearing last month, several residents complained about the noise from fireworks use. Some said fireworks were shot off near their homes late at night and several nights a week.
The selectmen voted unanimously Wednesday night to put a question on the Nov. 6 ballot asking residents whether they want to continue to allow fireworks use in Newport or ban them.
“We felt that the town needs to decide on this,” Chairman Tom Breitweg said Thursday. “We got a lot of complaints on this, especially in town, where it’s more populated.”
During last month’s meeting, Town Manager James Ricker said he received 47 signatures from residents who wanted fireworks prohibited.
Newport Police Chief Leonard Macdaid cited two of the most extreme incidents so far in town.
“We had one on Main Street, where they were shooting them off and ended up damaging a lady’s car who was driving by. Luckily the window wasn’t open or it would’ve been a lot worse,” he said. “There were [also] two incidents where [people] were throwing [fireworks] at cars.”
Many of the acts cited during August’s meeting were already illegal under state law.
“Other than July 4 and Dec. 31, the time of day when fireworks can be fired is between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m., unless otherwise regulated by local ordinance,” said acting State Fire Marshal Joe Thomas in July. Fireworks also must be fired on a person’s own property or the person must have written permission from the homeowner and be at least 21 years old.
The state lifted the law banning fireworks in Maine on Jan. 1.
Only Cedric O’Donnell, who co-owns Newport Fireworks on Route 7, spoke against making an ordinance prohibiting fireworks. He asked the selectmen last month to wait six months for the novelty of newly allowed fireworks to wear off.
“I would assume this year would be the most active in fireworks use everywhere,” O’Donnell said in August.
Breitweg said fireworks complaints will likely be going down now that summer is drawing near an end.
“I don’t think it will be that much of a deal right now going forward. We’ll see,” said Breitweg.
Fireworks used to be a 4th July thing. This opening of several fireworks stores in Maine has me baffled. It is expensive for what ya get out of it.
the ones here in Scarborough have been pretty much empty since the 4th of July.
I have a ‘friend’ who is a real estate broker. That person made a list of Maine communities where fireworks are legal and where fireworks are banned. The properties in banned communities,the selling prices are going a tad up. The legal fireworks communities, price reduced.
Does putting friend in quotations mean you really don’t have a friend?
I’m thinking your hatred of fireworks and the people that use them would be cause for you to make things up.
Seems like your “friend” might just have information that the BDN would like in order to do a story on the fact. That is if it is a fact……………..
Did you read how there is an increase of Maine homes being sold this year, but, the prices of the homes are not going UP. When its a seller’s market, prices are suppose to go UP. That means something is wrong.
People are desperately selling out of the pro-fireworks communities, buyers will buy from them,but they are not going to pay top dollar.
Real estate companies are the ones profiting. Real Estate companies gave tens of thousands of dollars to lobby for the legalization of fireworks in Maine.
I am the only one in Maine smart enough to connect the dots.
Skow, I think maybe your tin foil hat is a bit tight. Are you sure the government men aren’t out in the woods behind your house watching ya?
Another business that will have to move just across the town line in order to do business. Means a loss of taxes plus a loss of a business. Way to go Newport…………………….
This law was designed to have fireworks outlawed in many communities. All the state wants is the tax revenue. In the end, we’ll be back to where we were for years-except those who want fireworks can buy them somewhere in Maine.