| City to look at banning fireworks, again |
|
By: MICHELLE WILLARD, Post Staff Writer
|
Posted: Wednesday, November 19, 2008 1:17 pm
|
 Email  Print
|
After a month-long wait, Murfreesboro City Council will look into banning certain fireworks within city limits at it regular Thursday night meeting.
The proposed ordinance would ban the possession of mortar-type, reloadable shells and shorten the fireworks selling season by one day – going from June 27- July 5 and Dec. 25-Jan. 2 to June 28-July 5 and Dec. 26-Jan.2.
The ban came before the council in October, but it deferred making a decision because of the absence of two councilmen.
Since then the language of the ordinance has been changed slightly.
“The text of the ordinance has been modified … to emphasize that it is only single tube mortars that are banned,” City Attorney Susan McGannon wrote in a letter to the council, adding a local retailer requested the change.
The council will also hear from McGannon on possibly adding an age limit to the ban.
Councilman Shane McFarland suggested limiting the sale, use and possession of mortar-type fireworks to those 18 years and older. But Police Chief Glenn Chrisman opined most of those misusing the fireworks are in their mid-teens to mid-20s and an age limit wouldn’t sufficiently solve the problem.
The proposed ban stems from recent incidents with police officers and Councilman David Edwards.
Edwards, who was hit by mortar shrapnel over the summer, said in a previous interview the way the law is written buying mortar shells outside of town and bringing them here would be illegal, because possession of mortars is also banned along with selling the shells.
Edwards also cited recent incidents with a police officer in Columbia this summer and another involving two Murfreesboro Police Officers last summer.
The Murfreesboro incident led Police Chief Glenn Chrisman to request a ban on virtually all fireworks in May. The council decided to take a closer look at the issue at the time and declined making a decision.
Edwards said it was these incidents and not the October fire at Fireworks Supermarket that prompted the proposed ban on mortar shells.
Michelle Willard can be contacted at 615-869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com.
|
|
Facebook
StumbleUpon
Google
Yahoo!