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LAKEPORT – Safety versus personal freedom, tradition as opposed to increasing concerns about fire.
Those are some of the issues cited by those for, and against, Measure C, appearing on the ballot for this November's election in Lakeport.
Measure C would restore the ability for several local nonprofit groups to sell fireworks within Lakeport's city limits from July 1 through July 4 of each year.
In June, the Lakeport City Council voted 3-2 – with Council members Jim Irwin and Suzanne Lyons opposing – to make safe and sane fireworks illegal within the city limits.
Both Irwin and Lyons cited their support of the fireworks tradition in Lakeport, and mentioned concerns about the loss of another personal freedom.
For several years Lakeport had been the last place in Lake County where the fireworks could be used.
During the week of July 4, four nonprofit groups – which in recent years had included the Clear Lake High School Booster Club, Miss Lake County Scholarship Organization, Terrace School Parent Teacher Organization and the Lake County Channel Cats – have sold the fireworks.
The groups have reported that selling fireworks was their biggest and most important fundraiser of the year, with estimates running as high as $15,000 per group for each summer sales season, which runs less than a week.
In 2008, the groups agreed to suspend their sales because of the escalated fire concerns in the wake of the wildfires ravaging California.
However, when they sought their sales permit this past spring, the issue came to a head.
Interim City Manager and Police Chief Kevin Burke had suggested that, due to drought concerns, it was appropriate to have Lakeport Fire Protection District Chief Ken Wells review the applications.
Wells did, and denied them, citing the state's drought declaration and the economic constraints facing his district.
In a recent interview with Lake County News, Wells – who has 34 years of experience in firefighting and became Lakeport's fire chief a few years ago – explained that he felt it was his responsibility to tell the council about the dangers of fireworks.
“I have something to do. I have a mission now because it's not a good idea to sell things that put off sparks and have the potential of hurting people,” Wells said.
Dennis Revell of Revell Communications, representing American Promotional Events, TNT Fireworks and the nonprofits, presented information to the Lakeport City Council about fireworks-related incidents he gathered from local fire districts.
The statistics Revell presented included six fires from 2003 through 2007 with fireworks listed as the cause in the Lakeport Fire Protection District, with a total of 55 minutes of response time.
From 2004 to 2008, Kelseyville and Lake County Fire Protection Districts had a total of seven fireworks-related incidents, Revell reported.
But Wells said many fireworks-related calls go unreported.
“There hasn't been any fire loss or major injuries – yet,” he said. “Statistically, we've skated.”
He pointed to nationwide statistics that show fireworks-related injuries cost $100 million, and there has been between $15 million and $20 million in property damage across the country so far in 2009 related to fireworks.
Wells said it came down to economics, with his district lacking the staffing and resources to deal with fireworks.
Based on his advice, the council voted 3-1 – with Lyons voting no and Irwin absent – to turn down the fireworks sales permits in April. That vote led to the council's decision in later meetings, and the final June vote, to change the city's ordinance to prevent fireworks sales.
Wells said he's not against measure C. “We're against the sale of fireworks within the fire district,” he said.
Fire chiefs around the lake support the ban on fireworks in Lakeport, Wells added, as does the South Lake County Fire Safe Council and the Lake County Fire Safe Council.
The Lake County Fire Safe Council issued a statement in support of a countywide fireworks ban, noting that it stands in favor of such ordinances passed by the county and the cities of Clearlake and Lakeport.
“We hope that residents will continue to support these ordinances, and not put communities at risk by advocating the sale of fireworks,” the group's statement read. “We urge residents to be fire safe and fire wise, and keep all of Lake County a fireworks-free county.”
Wells said his fellow chiefs have told him that fireworks sold in Lakeport have ended up in their jurisdictions, where all fireworks – including safe and sane or state-approved – are illegal.
He said the district's budget constraints prevent it from launching a publicity campaign against the measure.
Groups take fireworks issue to the ballot
Not willing to give up, the nonprofits joined with American Promotional Events and TNT Fireworks to gather signatures for a initiative, which is being added to the general election ballot.
It's reported to be the first such initiative to go to Lakeport voters in decades, according to previous statements from City Attorney Steve Brookes.
The effort initially started in May, before the council made its final vote to outlaw fireworks in the city, as Lake County News has reported.
Supporters of the effort gathered enough signatures for a special election, but the council called for a consolidated election when it voted on the matter in July. At that time the council also turned down the option of forming a study group to work on the issues with the nonprofits.
Tom Jordan, president of the Clear Lake High School Boosters Club, said the initiative tries to balance fire concerns with providing funds for the youth programs.
He said the initiative proposes a new ordinance that would be more restrictive in the amount of time fireworks could be sold.
It also adds a 5-percent assessment to the fireworks sales to help pay the city for safety personnel, according to the initiative language.
But Wells said the fire district isn't part of the city, and he's concerned about where those funds for services will go, and that they won't be enough. He said no one from the nonprofits has contacted him to explain how the funding will work.
Jordan said the campaign for the initiative has included putting up signs, sending out three mailers and some personalized notes, and making telephone calls to registered voters.
About 20 volunteers are working on the effort, said Jordan.
In an effort to help the groups who lost the fireworks sales, Wells said the Lakeport Kiwanis and the fire district worked together on a pancake breakfast for the Channel Cats and Miss Lake County – the other groups reportedly chose not to participate – which raised about $5,000.
“Our stand is, basically, it's unfortunate they don't take advantage of the alternative fundraisers that are out there,” other than selling fireworks – which can hurt people and start fires, said Wells.
But the groups say that the fireworks sales have been their lifeblood, and pancake breakfasts, car washes and other fundraising avenues simply can't keep them afloat.
Jennifer Hanson of the Channel Cats swim team said the annual fireworks sales provided the group's main fundraising source.
She said they've tried to find other fundraisers. “Unfortunately, it would take a thousand bake sales to compensate for what we lost by losing fireworks,” Hanson said.
Hanson told the council over the summer that most of the fundraiser the groups did only raised a few hundred dollars at a time.
If Measure C doesn't pass, Hanson said the team might fold.
“Please vote for it!” Hanson said.
Jordan said the Measure C proponents appear to be making inroads.
“The response that we appear to be getting is very favorable,” said Jordan, noting that many people understand the value of the fireworks fundraiser for the youth programs.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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