Council discusses firework ban parameters

DAVENPORT – City councilmembers discussed an ordinance placed before them that would give the local fire chief authority to enact a fireworks ban on the Fourth of July during times of extreme fire danger, such as the dry conditions oft discussed this year. The discussion took place at council’s July 14 meeting.

Mayor Brad Sweet and Fire District No. 5 issued a ban this year which reduced firework usage in the city, but legally, the ban had no teeth. State law dictates that a municipality must have an ordinance written into its code to enforce a fireworks ban stricter than state law, and only G...