| PROGRESSIVE VOTER ALLIANCE |
| DONA ANA COUNTY, NEW MEXICO |
PVA Working Groups
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Safe and Sane Fireworks Working GroupUpdate: January 12, 2008 On December 10, 2008, the Mesilla Board of Trustees did not enact the safe and sane fireworks ordinance; instead, it unanimously voted to form a fireworks committee to study the fireworks issue and make recommendations to the board. The committee contains fireworks enthusiasts and vendors, as well as the fire chief and only one community member who advocates safe and sane regulations. This is the same action that Las Cruces and then Doña Ana County followed. In those situations, the fireworks committees recommended “compromise” measures that either were held to violate state law or were simply unworkable. I expect that Mesilla will do the same. After a “bad” fireworks season this summer, there will be more pressure on the board to enact safe and sane regulations. The Las Cruces Sun News ran two excellent editorials in November and December urging Mesilla to enact safe and sane regulations. The obvious point is that if Mesilla does not enact safe and sane, it will be a haven for those who want to purchase and use all variations of ground audible and aerial fireworks. Although this will negatively impact Las Cruces and Doña Ana County, Mesilla will be damaged the most under this scenario. This month I visited one of the year-round vendors to ensure that the vendor was only selling safe and sane fireworks, and the merchandise only included safe and sane fireworks. However, a store employee explained that if I traveled west to the next county, I could “git the good stuff.” In fact, I was handed a coupon that proved a ten percent discount on non-safe and sane fireworks at the store in the next county. It was compliance with the letter or our county fireworks ordinance, but it was not compliance with the spirit of the law. Bill Corbett, Doña Ana County Fireworks Committee member 646-4352 work 522-1372 home wcorbett@nmsu.edu Update: December 5, 2007 The Mesilla Board of Trustees will vote on safe and sane fireworks regulations at their next 6 p.m. meeting on Monday, Dec. 10, at 2231 Avenida de Mesilla (Board of Trustees Room in the Mesilla Town Hall/J. Paul Taylor Visitor’s Center—across the street from the Oñate Plaza--nearest cross-street is Calle del Norte). Would you be willing to attend the December 10 meeting at 6 p.m.? The fireworks ordinance is early in the agenda. It would help to express solidarity with Fire Chief Hoban’s request for passage of the ordinance and to discuss the public safety aspect and benefits of safe and sane regulations. At the last Board of Trustees meeting, only one member of the public spoke and he expressed concern that safe and sane would decrease the gross receipts tax. I understand that there is one trustee uncommitted at this time —a second trustee is for safe and sane, but the third and fourth trustees oppose safe and sane. The mayor (the fifth vote) only votes in the event of a 2-2 tie vote, and he appears to be undecided. Only if both undecided members decide to support safe and sane will the ordinance pass. Needless to say, if Mesilla does not enact safe and sane, it provides a ready source of ground audible and aerial fireworks, which would undermine the efforts of the county, Sunland Park, and Las Cruces in enforcing safe and sane regulations. Thanks much, Bill Corbett, Dona Ana County Fireworks Committee member Update: November 24, 2007 The County Commission voted 3-2 to adopt the safe and sane fireworks ordinance on November 14. The new ordinance will go into effect in 30 days. Contacts Fire Marshal Doña Ana County Special Project Office Doña Ana County Commissioners
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