KXO RADIO - Firework Banning a Reality for Imperial County

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Todays is : Friday, 09 January 2009

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THE ORDINANCE WAS RE-WORDED TO CHANGE THE PENALTIES FOR THOSE CAUGHT WITH THE BANNED FIREWORKS. THE NEW ORDINANCE SAYS THE FIRST OFFENSE WILL BE A $500 INFRACTION. THE SECOND OFFENSE, AND ALL THOSE AFTER, WILL BE MISDEMEANORS WITH A MAXIMUM FINE OF UP TO $1,000 AND OR UP TO SIX MONTHS IN JAIL. COUNTY FIRE AND ITS DESIGNEES AS WELL AS SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES WILL ENFORCE THE NEW ORDINANCE. THE ORDINANCE NEEDS A SECOND READING BEFORE BECOMING LAW, AND THAT IS EXPECTED TO HAPPEN UNDER THE CONSENT AGENDA AT THE BOARDS NEXT MEETING. SERVICE CLUBS AND RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS SAY THEY WILL BE LOSING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS BY NOT BEING ABLE TO USE THE SALE OF SAFE AND SANE FIREWORKS DURING THE ONE-WEEK IN JULY. THE COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT, WITH THE SUPPORT OF FIRE DEPARTMENTS THRU-OUT THE COUNTY, SAID THE HAZARD RISK FROM FIREWORKS WAS TOO GREAT. IT WAS ALSO ARGUED THE MONETARY RISK TO THE COUNTY FROM PROPERTY DAMAGE RESULTING FROM THE USE OF LEGAL FIREWORKS WAS TREMENDOUS. SUPERVISOR WALLY LEIMGRUBER, WHO VOTED AGAINST THE ORDINANCE, SAID THE COUNTY COULDN’T LEGISLATE EVERYTHING THAT HAS A RISK. ONE RELIGIOUS LEADER SAID IF THAT WERE THE CASE, THEN THE COUNTY SHOULD BAN CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTS, OFF-ROAD ACTIVITIES, SKATEBOARD PARKS AND ALL OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT CARRY A RISK. THE BOARD VOTED 3-1 IN FACOR OF THE ORDINANCE. CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD VICTOR CARRILLO DID NOT ATTEND THE MEETING.