In response to Sandra Kessler’s letter to the editor published in Tuesday’s edition of the Creston News Advertiser, I was approved by the Creston City Council during the June 19 council meeting to shoot off fireworks on July 4 and July 7. That information was published in the June 20 edition of the CNA.
I shot nothing bigger than what was shot at the lake during the Fourth of July show. The biggest shell I shot was a 6-inch shell. It’s the exact same as what’s used at the lake. Most of what I shot was class C, which is consumer grade.
Iowa law made fireworks legal everywhere. Cities have the right to revoke the use of fireworks to the general public. As vice president of the Creston Shooters, I am licensed to shoot fireworks. In order to gain approval from Creston City Council to have this fireworks show, I had to take out a $1.3 million insurance policy.
The city can override the state law by controlling the shooting of fireworks, but when the state of Iowa legalized fireworks, that is only for the consumer. This is not a general public vote if we can be allowed to shoot this show or not. It is up to the city council to approve based on the facts of I meet the criteria to do it.