Ark Valley News - Bel Aire will allow special event fireworks

Bel Aire will allow special event fireworks
By David Dinell
Last Updated: August 20, 2015

Bel Aire Mayor David Austin often comments that the topic of fireworks seems to always spark a lively discussion. That was the case again Aug. 18 as the city council debated how Bel Aire should allow fireworks displays for special events.

The issue stems from a resident's request to be allowed to have a fireworks display for an occasion at the end of September. The city ordinance doesn't allow for that, but council members realized that many cities do allow them, with a fee and a variety of provisions.

After a discussion at a council workshop Aug. 11, the city came up with a proposal that would permit four such special event displays a year. Provisions include paying a $250 fee, getting approval by the Sedgwick County Fire Department and having liability insurance.

"It's a good compromise," Austin said of the amendment, which would be added to the city code.

Council member Betty Martine wanted a rule added that required the sponsoring party to clean up after the event, which was added to the ordinance.

There were other concerns, but the council was informed that if it delayed passage, the requested event would not be able to be held, and it could always make changes to it later. With that, the concept passed on a 5-0 vote.

Future changes could involve the fee, which some members thought too low, others too high. Ramona Becker favored a fee of $500, Guy MacDonald, an even higher fee of $1,000. Peggy O'Donnell thought the $250 fee was too high. Austin said that fees in other cities were "all over the board."

Making it too low would attract groups that may just want to shoot off some fireworks as a lark, he said.

"We want to make sure it's a serious group," he said.

If the fee is only $10 or $50, that's not much of an investment in the event, he said.

Martine also wanted a way to let the public know about the fireworks and Ken Lee proposed having a sign posted on the site where the activity is to take place.

"Pets get scared," Martine said. "We need to let people know so their pets can be prepared."

The topic will likely be back, Austin said, as the council irons out details and assesses how the first special events fireworks event went. As of now, the new permits are available through City Hall officials for any group that wants to abide by the rules and pay the fee.

In other action, the council:

•Approved adopting the 2016 city of Bel Aire operating budget. There is no mill levy increase. Austin said the budget was not the easiest one he's done and he's not completely happy with it, but it's over and done with.

•Approved appropriations in the amount of $422,843.

•Listened to a presentation by Ben Hart, vice president of Allen, Gibbs & Houlick LLC on his independent auditors' report. This is the third year the firm has done it. There are no major problems, he said, however, because of the city's small staff size, it does face some challenges in financial operations, such as having different people handling money. It's aware of that and working on it, he said.

•Approved three re-appointments recommended by Austin to the Utility Advisory Committee. They are: Dan Broyles, Art Tenbrink and Bill Moss.

•Authorized a memorandum of understanding with USD 259 regarding a Bel Aire school resource officer working in the Northeast Magnet and Isely schools. The officer will be paid for with federal funds.

•Approved a revised letter of intent to issue a $7.5 million industrial revenue bond for River Cement Sales Co., which is doing business as Buzzi Unicem, for its distribution facility in the Sunflower Commerce Park.

•Approved the purchase of a replacement tractor for the Parks Division from Kubota in the amount of $22,050. The tractor is used to mow grass in ditches, empty lots and Alley Park. The tractor was to be purchased in 2016, but the city's current vehicle, a 1999 Ford, recently broke and will not be worthwhile to replace, Austin said. The repairs would cost $4,100 and the tractor would be worth only $6,500 after them.

•Approved a revised utility policy.

•Approved a letter to the Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Commission opposing any changes to the three-mile zoning area of influence currently allowed to cities in the MAPC zoning codes.

All five members and the mayor were present.