Lee's Summit City Council Considers Changing Fireworks Code

The Lee's Summit Journal is reporting that tomorrow, March 13 the city council is scheduled a vote to change one of the more successful initiatives that the city council has set forth in years.

Very successful, judging by the massive celebrations that have occurred yearly on the 4th of July in Lee's Summit, and the revenues that these celebrations have generated for local charities, in direct response to the Councils fireworks code.

The fireworks code currently states that only Lee's Summit-based organizations can operate fireworks tents within city limits, which allows community organizations a much needed means of generating operating funds.

Now the word is that outside organizations will be allowed to operate 6 of the 20 tents in the coming year, and I for one believe that this is a mistake. It isn't like the licenses are going unused by local organizations, and the licenses allow the local organizations to partner with outside organizations if that is what they want to do.

Opening the process to outside organizations will pressure the local organization to compete on price on quality with these outside organizations. I hope those on the council will consider the effect of this on the local community groups.

Check out what the Journal has to say on the issue, City Council to vote on change in fireworks code:

On Thursday, the Lee's Summit City Council is scheduled to vote on another change to the city's fireworks code.

If approved, the ordinance would modify the current code by reserving 14 of the 20 available vender licenses for Lee's Summit-based organizations. The remaining six would be allowed for non-local organizations, according to city information.

In addition, a lottery system would be put in place to select the 20 applicants to be considered for a license. According to city information, the proposed lottery system is similar to the lottery system used to select the order candidates' names appear on the ballot for an election.

According to city information, the question of the lottery system was brought up among city staff and the Council several times in May 2007 - when the last amendments were made to the city's code regarding the use and retail of fireworks. However, the time frame the city was working with did not allow for that endeavor.

The amended ordinance also would require the applicant to obtain a Special Events Permit Fee and would only allow one application to be filed on behalf of an entity for a particular location.

This will prevent the manipulation of the lottery system by filing multiple applications by the same entity for the same location, according to city information.

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