Council to form Measure C Committee

LAKEPORT – The Lakeport City Council agreed last week to form a committee to work on enforcing Measure C.


The measure, which passed in November, made it legal once again to sell safe and sane – or state-approved – fireworks in Lakeport. It passed with a 59.3 yes vote, or 514 votes. No votes totaled 40.7 percent, or 353 votes.


The move to get Measure C on the ballot followed the Lakeport City Council's spring decision to ban fireworks sales in the city, as Lake County News has reported. The council vote was 3-2, with Council members Jim Irwin and Suzanne Lyons voting against it.


Leading the ballot measure effort were the four nonprofit groups which had been allowed to sell the fireworks – Clear Lake High School Booster Club, Miss Lake County Scholarship Organization, Terrace School Parent Teacher Organization and the Lake County Channel Cats – with assistance from American Promotional Events and TNT Fireworks.


Tom Jordan, president of the Clear Lake High School Booster Club, spoke to the council last Tuesday on behalf of all of the groups.


Jordan spoke in favor of establishing the committee, and asked that it be well balanced in terms of representation.


He proposed that all four nonprofits should have members on the group. In addition, he wanted to see the fireworks company, police, public works and council representation on the committee.


Jordan suggested that the only criteria for membership were having an open mind and a commitment to achieving the measure's goals. The measure provides fundraising opportunities for the group and financial support for public safety, which will be paid from an assessment on the fireworks.


Mayor Jim Irwin said he had received a letter from Lakeport Planning Commissioner Marc Spillman which echoed Jordan's comments.


Councilman Bob Rumfelt said an initial meeting was set up for Dec. 17 to get the effort started.


He said several things in the new ordinance need to be considered, such as what a citation for breaking the rules or an application to sell fireworks would look like.


“We want to make sure that everybody's represented,” Rumfelt said.


Irwin asked if Rumfelt felt nine people on the committee was appropriate. Rumfelt said bigger committees often result in less getting done, but they want to make sure everything is done right.


A TNT Fireworks representative also asked the council to allow her to sit on the committee.


E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf .

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