Despite several comments in the past month encouraging the McCleary City Council to address fireworks, the council decided to take no action during its meeting on Sept. 27.

At past meetings, concerned residents had asked the council to ban fireworks, or at least take a firmer stance on illegal fireworks. Mayor Brent Schiller had assured residents that the matter would be brought to the council before the next Fourth of July.

The council ultimately has decided to take no action on fireworks.

“I want to leave it alone. I’m tired of people making rules,” Councilwoman Pam Ator said. “Every time you turn around, everybody’s got to have a new rule.”

Councilman Ben Blankenship also supported leaving the rules as they are.

Currently the City of McCleary follows state law regarding fireworks and the city has placed no additional restrictions on the use of fireworks. Councilwoman Brenda Orffer said she feels the state law should be sufficient.

“The state has regulations and we follow those regulations, and there’s no need to go beyond them unless there’s a really big need for it,” Orffer said.

Orffer said her family has annual Fourth of July celebrations with fireworks, and they’re mindful of weather conditions and fire hazards. She said if conditions are too dry, they take their fireworks to a concrete area for additional safety.

“Where do we draw a line on people to exercise some of their own common sense on safety precautions and the city has to legislate everything to make people safe,” Orffer asked.

Resident and candidate for city council Joy Iversen said her family also has annual celebrations with fireworks, and they too put safety first. If the city were to establish additional restrictions on fireworks, her family would comply, and she knows other families who would as well.

But still, there are families and individuals in McCleary who would wilfully ignore the additional restrictions, the council contended, and in that case, even with the additional restrictions, the city ultimately could not enforce its fireworks laws.

In Lacey, fireworks have been banned, including many that are referred to as “safe and sane.” Novelty fireworks like snakes, glowworms and party poppers, according to the Lacey Police Department’s website, are still permitted.

McCleary Police Chief Steve Blumer said he has had conversations with officers from the Lacey Police Department who said the fireworks ban is difficult to enforce.

“The Lacey Police Department has a ban, and Fourth of July comes and they get 300 calls a day plus, and they don’t even respond to them — they don’t even drive to them or waste their time on it,” Blumer said.

In McCleary, even with the current restrictions, Blumer said he has a difficult time enforcing the law when illegal fireworks are fired.

“I went to 20 calls last year, and every time I arrived there was no smoke and I was there pretty quick — within under a minute,” Blumer said.

Mayor Schiller asked if the council would consider drafting legislation that would allow the city to ban fireworks during times of high fire danger.

“We’re not just saying ‘No,’ but if we do say ‘No,’ this is why,” Schiller said. “It’s putting a stipulation in.”

Again, the issue came up about enforcement.

“How do you police it,” Blankenship asked.

Ultimately, the council chose to drop the issue leaving all fireworks laws as they currently stand in McCleary. The decision was unanimous.