Saturday, May 27, 2006

Bosque Farms considers restricting fireworks

Clara Garcia News-Bulletin Staff Writer; cgarcia@news-bulletin.com

Bosque Farms As drought conditions continue to plague the state, Bosque Farms is seriously considering restricting the use of fireworks within the village limits.

At a special meeting Wednesday, the village council agreed to place the issue on its agenda for consideration for its June 6 meeting. Mayor Wayne Ake said he has received numerous calls from concerned citizens asking for a ban on fireworks this year.

But according to state statute, municipalities don't have the authority to ban the use of all fireworks. They can, however, restrict the use of certain types including aerials, roman candles, shells and stick-type rockets such as bottle rockets along with the ground audible devices such as chasers and firecrackers.

Ake suggested that the council consider a proclamation that would restrict the use of certain fireworks for 30 days.

Councilor Dolly Wallace said she would like to see the council place a total ban on all fireworks within the village. She said she understands that lighting fireworks is a tradition, but she doesn't believe it would hurt anyone to skip the annual custom in light of the severe drought conditions.

"I can't see allowing any type of fireworks at all for somebody's small moment of pleasure and risking someone's personal property," Wallace said. "Los Lunas is going to have a fireworks display, Albuquerque has them and there's several other well organized events. I feel if someone really wants to see fireworks, they can go to these events and enjoy."

Councilor Bill Kennedy agreed, saying a friend of his family had set off bottle rockets several years ago and burned down a barn.

"That one really struck home with me, and I don't want to see that happen here," Kennedy said. "We really do have to do something and, for now, a proclamation is a good idea. But we do need to start working on a comprehensive ordinance and get it in place before next year."

Mayor Pro-tem Bob Knowlton said even if the state gets rain within the next month, the Rio Grande valley will remain extremely dry and hazardous.

"I strongly discourage the use of fireworks, especially since we have such a large amount of agricultural activity that goes on in this village," Knowlton said. "I would hate to see all that go up in smoke along with putting our fire chief and our volunteers at risk."

While the majority of the council agreed that the dry conditions do warrant a proclamation restricting the use of certain fireworks, Councilor Virgil Proctor doesn't feel it's necessary. He said he spoke to Bosque Farms Fire Chief Spencer Wood and believes the village wouldn't be harmed if fireworks — including aerials — were allowed.

"I know that it's dry, especially on the river, but here in the village it's so dry there's not many weeds," Proctor said. "Personally, I don't go and watch the display, but as kids, there's something special about popping your own too. After talking to Spencer, I didn't get the impression that fireworks are more dangerous this year than last year."

Wood agreed with Proctor, saying that, in his 20 years with the Bosque Farms Fire Department, there have been only a handful of fire incidents that can be attributed to fireworks.

"I have four boys and I don't have horses and a lot of stuff that everybody else does, so I'm leaning toward Mr. Proctor's way of thinking," the fire chief said. "As far as putting the fire department in jeopardy, the people of this village are so conscious about what they're doing with their open burning, we're having no trouble whatsoever."

Wood did say if the council is entertaining a proclamation restricting the use of fireworks within the village, it should also consider issuing a proclamation banning open burning during the same 30-day period.

Ake, who told the council that the village hasn't updated its fireworks ordinance since October 1999, said while he understands that the governing body can't ban the use of all fireworks, he would hope that the council would pass a proclamation that strictly restricts the use of some.

"I'm going to ask the police chief to respond to any reports of any illegal fireworks and try to apprehend these people using them," Ake said. "There's a $300 fine that comes along with it, if the judge sees fit.

"I too enjoy fireworks. And I've shot as many as anyone else — probably more than most — but I think it's time we that we're conscious of our citizens and our neighbors."

The proclamation restricting the use of certain fireworks for 30 days within the village will be brought in front of the council at a meeting scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, June 6.

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