Fireworks rule change could allow use in Havre limits

Fireworks rule change could allow use in Havre limits

Zach White

One new ordinance could light up the faces of explosives enthusiasts in Havre.

A draft of possible changes to the city's rules about fireworks was introduced to the Ordinance Committee of the Havre City Council earlier this week.

Fire Chief Dave Sheppard said that the changes came from a look at similar rules in cities across Montana, while also taking cues from the state law.

Compiled from many sources, with a few new ideas, the proposed ordinance is a legal smorgasbord, from which the city can pick the rules that work best.

"It's my hope that the committee will sit down with the city and the people and pick out what they like, " Sheppard said.

One of the changes would be to allow within city limits the sales and discharge of fireworks from July 2 through 4 from 8 a. m. to midnight.

It would also be legal to set off fireworks on New Year's Eve from 10 p. m. to 12:30 a. m.

The fire chief said that the current rules are not very effective and a change could help provide "more supervision by responsible people. "

"There are a lot of people that disregard the ordinance anyway, " Sheppard said. "If I do it on my lawn with a hose, it's probably safer than in a field with no water source and dry grass. "

Cliff Plum, a Havre Jaycees senator, agrees.

"That'd be a huge deal for a lot of people, " Plum said. "People set them off in the city anyway, but now they don't have to sneak out the back door to do it. "

The Jaycees sell fireworks for two weeks every year to pay for their annual fireworks night display.

Their booth has usually been set up just outside of Havre.

Until last year's annexation attempt, it was at the Holiday Village Mall. Last year they had to move it to property in the county on the other side of the Great Northern Fairgrounds.

Plum said allowing fireworks in the city would "be awesome" for their customers, but would not have much effect on the Jaycees' booth.

"It wouldn't be worth it for those two or three days, " Plum said. "If we had a second booth it might be a possibility. "

Aside from the limited time, setting up a fireworks booth in Havre would also require a permit, with a fee based on the booth's square footage.

The fee, as proposed in the draft, would be $125 for a booth with less than 300 square feet or up to $1,125 for a booth larger than 3,000 square feet.

But everything in the draft is up for debate and could be changed at any time, Sheppard said.

"My interpretation of that draft is that it's just that, a rough draft, " Sheppard said.

One new ordinance could light up the faces of explosives enthusiasts in Havre.

A draft of possible changes to the city's rules about fireworks was introduced to the Ordinance Committee of the Havre City Council earlier this week.

Fire Chief Dave Sheppard said that the changes came from a look at similar rules in cities across Montana, while also taking cues from the state law.

Compiled from many sources, with a few new ideas, the proposed ordinance is a legal smorgasbord, from which the city can pick the rules that work best.

"It's my hope that the committee will sit down with the city and the people and pick out what they like, " Sheppard said.

One of the changes would be to allow within city limits the sales and discharge of fireworks from July 2 through 4 from 8 a. m. to midnight.

It would also be legal to set off fireworks on New Year's Eve from 10 p. m. to 12:30 a. m.

The fire chief said that the current rules are not very effective and a change could help provide "more supervision by responsible people. "

"There are a lot of people that disregard the ordinance anyway, " Sheppard said. "If I do it on my lawn with a hose, it's probably safer than in a field with no water source and dry grass. "

Cliff Plum, a Havre Jaycees senator, agrees.

"That'd be a huge deal for a lot of people, " Plum said. "People set them off in the city anyway, but now they don't have to sneak out the back door to do it. "

The Jaycees sell fireworks for two weeks every year to pay for their annual fireworks night display.

Their booth has usually been set up just outside of Havre.

Until last year's annexation attempt, it was at the Holiday Village Mall. Last year they had to move it to property in the county on the other side of the Great Northern Fairgrounds.

Plum said allowing fireworks in the city would "be awesome" for their customers, but would not have much effect on the Jaycees' booth.

"It wouldn't be worth it for those two or three days, " Plum said. "If we had a second booth it might be a possibility. "

Aside from the limited time, setting up a fireworks booth in Havre would also require a permit, with a fee based on the booth's square footage.

The fee, as proposed in the draft, would be $125 for a booth with less than 300 square feet or up to $1,125 for a booth larger than 3,000 square feet.

But everything in the draft is up for debate and could be changed at any time, Sheppard said.

"My interpretation of that draft is that it's just that, a rough draft, " Sheppard said.