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City reviews fireworks complaints, may make changes

Water customers advised of changes

Staff reporter

After receiving and hearing complaints from constituents, Marion City Council discussed the issue of fireworks for next year's Independence Day.

Mayor Mary Olson said a local Boy Scouts troop made $4,800 from operating a fireworks stand. She said she wanted to support the Boy Scouts, so was in favor of fireworks.

"I have no objection to buying or selling before July 4th but shooting should be from July 1st through the 4th," councilman Bill Holdeman said.

Marion Police Chief Josh Whitwell said there were a few kinds of fireworks that the city needed to outlaw.

There was one fireworks stand that sold all of the supplies needed to make explosives, he said.

The fireworks of concern were ones that were aerials that remained "on fire" for an unknown amount of time and one that Whitwell called an explosive that made a loud noise.

"There is a handful of people who complain but I agree with Bill that shooting should be allowed from July 1 through the 4th," Whitwell said.

Councilman Stacey Collett said he was told that there were some fireworks shot on the roofs at Cooperative Grain & Supply, which also houses anhydrous ammonia and other combustible materials.

"We need to designate areas that fireworks cannot be shot," Collett said.

Olson suggested an advertisement with fireworks information should run in the Marion County Record prior to the July 4th holiday.

"In Pittsburg, everybody goes to a ball park to shoot fireworks," Holdeman said. City administrator David Mayfield said that wasn't a bad idea, noting the city had a large parking lot at the ball field.

In other business:

— City water customers will experience a chlorine smell in the drinking water in the coming weeks as the city's water distribution plant conducts a burn out. Ammonia will not be used with chlorine in disinfecting the drinking water which could cause the smell of bleach.

Customers are assured by the city that the water is safe to drink. The process is common in most ozone distribution systems.

— A payment was approved to Hett Construction for the construction of a building at the industrial park for Arlie's Inc. The payment was for $20,198, which was the final payment of the $255,000 project.

— Early in the meeting, Holdeman asked for two executive sessions. One 10-minute session with city public works director Harvey Sanders and one 10-minute session with Mayfield. It was unclear whether the reason for the executive session was for personnel or attorney-client privilege.

There were no decisions when the meeting reconvened.

— City economic development director Doug Kjellin was appointed to serve as a city representative on Marion County Economic Development Council.

— Olson asked Mayfield when a budget hearing will be held. He responded that he had just received the city's ad valorem tax information and wasn't yet prepared for a hearing. A work session will be planned when the information is processed.

The next regular council meeting will at 4:30 p.m. July 28 at the city building.

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