By MICHAEL STRAND

Salina Journal

ASSARIA -- If the small crowd that gathered Tuesday night in Assaria is any indication, Saline County residents favor lifting the ban on fireworks -- but would like more restrictions and stiffer penalties than county commissioners were considering.

Just over a dozen people gathered at Assaria City Hall to tell the Saline County Commission what they think of the proposal, which would allow fireworks stands in unincorporated, agricultural-zoned areas of the county, and allow people to shoot off fireworks in the county with permission of the property owner.

None of those people opposed lifting the ban, but they did have other suggestions.

Doris Short, of Assaria, was one of several people who questioned the ban on storing fireworks after July 4.

Many people, she said, buy fireworks late on July 4 to take advantage of the steep discounts, intending to save them for the next year.

Others noted that such a rule might encourage people who have spent money on fireworks to shoot them even when they normally wouldn't, for example because of windy conditions.

Eric Blomquist said he's long had to spend much of July 4 chasing fireworks shooters off of his land but thinks that legalizing them might lead to more responsible use.

"If they're legal and something gets out of hand, they might stay and help instead of run," he said.

Several people, including Blomquist, noted that the county is losing sales tax money to neighboring counties, where fireworks are now legal -- and that fireworks are still common in Saline County.

"If there's people selling, and people shooting, let's be collecting" taxes, Blomquist said.

Larry Hettenbach said he, too, supports lifting the ban -- but only for people on their own property, or areas designated by the county.

"Every year, we wonder if we should go to town to see the fireworks display, and if we'll have a house when we get back," he said.

Commissioner John Reynolds suggested that people could be "entrepreneurial," set aside some of their own land for shooting fireworks, and charge people to use it.

After reviewing the proposed rules, Dennis Swenson said he was largely satisfied, but he wondered if some public education on the precise rules would help.

"People aren't going to read this resolution" for those details, he said, suggesting a summary could be posted at fireworks stands or even included with each purchase.

"I would welcome the idea of posting the rules in my stands," said Ed Winebrenner, of Culver, owner of Crazy Ed's Fireworks and a board member of Culver Rural Fire District No. 5. "Most of my customers come from Saline County."

Several others said they liked the idea of requiring a fireworks permit to shoot fireworks, possibly issued by the county, and required to be shown at the time of sale.

Winebrenner said he had no problem with permits, either.

Several others, who support lifting the ban, thought the penalty for shooting fireworks illegally should be much more than the up-to-$500 fine and six months in jail

Reynolds explained that they were bound to follow state law on the penalty, prompting Blomquist to ask if the fine could be assessed for each fire cracker; a string of 100 firecrackers would be a $50,000 fine.

At the end of the meeting, commissioner Randy Duncan said he thinks the proposal is still open for changes, and that "It's not perfect, but it's better than we have now.

The next hearing is at 7 p.m. tonight at the Hedville Fire Station.

n Reporter Mike Strand can be reached at 822-1418 or by e-mail at mstrand@salina.com.

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