Fireworks change passes allowing only 3 hours July 4

The Newton City Council has lit the fuse on an amendment to the ordinance allowing fireworks use within city boundaries. Residents can now only set off the pyrotechnics for three hours, one day a year.

However, upon the approval of the revised ordinance which allows the discharge of fireworks from 8 to 11 p.m. July 4, city council members urged citizens to abide by the restrictions. The council approved the change Monday 5-1, voting in favor of adopting the ordinance shortly thereafter.

Councilperson Dean Stonner recommended Newton residents be compliant and responsible of the updated ordinance, which would also prohibit fireworks use on New Year’s Eve. Also, the public would only be authorized to fire shells no bigger than 1 inch in diameter and multiple tube devices with 250 grams or less of powder.

If the ordinance is “routinely ignored,” Stonner fears the Newton City Council “will be going through this exercise again in the not too distant future.”

Council members’ recent action comes three-and-a-half months after they voted 4-2 in opposition to the final reading of a proposed fireworks ban within city limits. Although the ban failed to pass, the controversial topic drew multiple citizens to the council chambers to share their views on fireworks.

Prior to the adoption of the updated ordinance, citizens were allowed to discharge consumer-grade fireworks from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. July 4 and from 9 a.m. Dec. 31 to 12:30 a.m. Jan. 1 within city limits — or 29.5 hours in total.

Vendors were legally allowed to sell fireworks in Iowa following 2017 legislation signed by former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, which also permitted use and possession of consumer-grade fireworks. Cities are allowed to opt out or make more restrictive rules under current law.

Before the city council made its final decision, Stonner read a prepared statement clarifying his stance on fireworks for a second time. This time, he referenced a headline of a Newton Daily News article printed March 20 that read: "Councilman Stonner explains his flip on fireworks.”

Stonner, who had previously voted in favor of a fireworks ban for all three readings in winter 2018, asserted his action was not a “flip” vote when he announced he was in favor of the three-hour limit.

Fellow council member Steven Mullan was in favor of the failed fireworks ban readings (as was Stonner) and also voted “nay” during all three readings of the revised fireworks ordinance.

“In voting in favor of the current amendment, I am voting to limit the use of fireworks within the city limits to the greatest degree that is politically possible,” Stonner said. “The current amendment allows less than one-tenth of the amount of time during which the use of fireworks is authorized, and contains additional limits on the size of the fireworks.

“Since we can’t get a ban, I believe that the additional limitations, which are contained in the current amendment, are the next best thing and the closest available option to best satisfy the majority of constituents that contacted me on this issue.”

In other action Monday, the city council:

• Voted 6-0 to adopt the capital improvement plan for fiscal year 2020 through fiscal year 2024. Prepared by city staff, the plan includes several future projects from various departments and have not yet been approved or set out for bid. Projects include street reconstructions and pavings, repairs to hike and bike trails, Maytag Pool upgrades, vehicle replacements and airport pavement preservation, among others.

• Voted 6-0 to approve for additional geographic information system (GIS) services to the existing professional services agreement with Bolton & Menk Engineering of Des Moines. According the city council agenda, GIS provides a “framework for gathering, managing and analyzing data.” The system is “rooted in the science of geography” and “integrates many types of data.”

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com