LAKEPORT – In response to the urging of the city's fire chief, the Lakeport City Council on Tuesday agreed to ban fireworks sales and use in the city limits this year because of serious fire danger.

In addition, the council agreed to allow the four nonprofit groups that last week voluntarily canceled their plans to sell fireworks to do special fundraising activities in Library Park during the Friday concerts.

Supporters and members of the four nonprofits – Miss Lake County Scholarship Program, Channel Cats, Terrace School Parent Teacher Organization and Clear Lake High School Booster Club – packed the council chambers Tuesday night.

"This is not a normal City Council meeting, I can see that," said Mayor Buzz Bruns, looking out on the crowd.

Lakeport Fire Protection District Chief Ken Wells went to the council to seek an emergency resolution to stop fireworks sales and use in the city this year, with the additional request that the council form an ad hoc committee to explore other fundraising methods for the groups.

He began by telling the council, "I want to give an 'attaboy' to the four groups that voluntarily decided not to sell the fireworks in the great city of Lakeport."

Sales or use of safe and sane fireworks this year, said Wells, "is a clear and present danger."

As early as March, Cal Fire reported that moisture in vegetation was critically low – the lowest in 88 years, said Wells – with the March conditions looking more like those typically seen in late fall.

That raises concerns for extreme fire danger for the rest of the year, said Wells.

In May, Lake County sent four fire engines to join in the firefighting effort at the Summit Fire in the Santa Cruz Mountains, recalled Wells. Then, last week, local firefighting resources again were called on to battle the Walker Fire.

Five local engines are now in Mendocino County on the Orr Fire, he said. That fire is part of the Mendocino Lightning Complex, which originally had more than 100 fires burning and has burned close to 40,000 acres.

Local fire resources are depleted and its only July, he said, and President Bush has just declared a state of emergency for California.

At the same time, Wells said he was concerned about the groups' lack of revenue from the fireworks sales. He again lauded them for putting the community's safety ahead of "the almighty dollar."

Well asked everyone who had planned to buy fireworks to go ahead and donate to the groups.

He said his department and Lakeport Police will work together closely this coming holiday weekend to enforce the ban on fireworks in the city. Wells received a round of applause at the end of his remarks.

Monica Buehnerkemper, a board member for the Miss Lake County Scholarship Program, spoke to the council on behalf of all four of the nonprofits who sell fireworks. Half of the crowded chamber included members of the groups, which became clear when she asked them to all stand.

"We agreed to not sell fireworks this year," she said.

It wasn't an easy decision to make, she said. Not holding the annual sales represents a net loss of $51,000 to the groups.

An anonymous donor is donating $5,000 to each of the groups and challenging the community to step up and donate, too, said Buehnerkemper.

Several local merchants are allowing the groups to put donation jars in their businesses, said Buehnerkemper.

In addition, they asked the council for permission to collect donations at the Friday concert series in Library Park during July.

Like Wells, Buehnerkemper also was applauded for her comments to the council.

The council asked City Attorney Steve Brookes for advice on how best to move forward. Brookes said they should direct him to draft an emergency ordinance dealing with a temporary ban on sales and use.

Once the ordinance is drafted, the council decided to hold a special meeting at 4 p.m. Thursday, July 3, in order to vote on the ordinance.

Councilman Roy Parmentier moved to direct Brookes to draft a resolution banning sales and use for the special meeting on Thursday. Councilman Bob Rumfelt seconded the motion, which was approved 4-1, with Councilman Jim Irwin voting no.

Although the council has previously turned down requests by groups to sell items or have booths at the concerts, they agreed to let the four nonprofits collect donations this month.

Rumfelt said the council needs to make sure everyone understands that soliciting for donations is for this fire season only, so they don't set a precedent.

He moved to allow them to seek donations, with Councilman Ron Bertsch seconding the motion. The motion was approved 5-0.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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