Commissioners OK fireworks sales [Odessa American, Texas]

Dec. 27--ODESSA, Texas -- Ector County Commissioners voted unanimously to amend the local disaster declaration and allow the sale of fireworks for New Year's celebrations in a decision greeted by applause from the audience during a commissioners meeting Tuesday.

Counties that requested fireworks bans from governor

--Terry.

--Crockett.

--Lubbock.

--Midland.

--Andrews.

--Ward.

--Gaines.

--Martin.

The sale, use and possession of fireworks will be allowed in Ector County on a restricted basis from 7 a.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Monday. In the same period, residents may also burn household trash in a burn barrel with an iron grate, cook on outdoor barbeque grills and weld.

"We just ask everyone to use common sense. If it's windy, don't use fireworks," Precinct 3 Commissioner Dale Childers said. "Don't burn giant piles of trash."

Ector County Judge Susan Redford sent a copy of the amended declaration, along with an email notice, to Gov. Rick Perry's office to rescind the fireworks ban, which Perry granted last week. Commissioners first extended a 60-hour local disaster declaration on Dec. 12.

Commissioners amended the local disaster declaration in light of recent rain and snowfall in the area.

Since Dec. 1, the Odessa-Midland area has received 1.03 inches of rain and 8.9 inches of snowfall, National Weather Service meteorologist Michelle Schuldt said. In December 2010, the Odessa-Midland area received no precipitation, Schuldt said.

Forecasts for the New Year's weekend include clear skies with evening temperatures reaching a low of 36 degrees and winds at 15 miles per hour on Dec. 31, Schuldt said.

The weather conditions are ideal for local fireworks vendors, who faced a setback this summer when fireworks sales and use were prohibited for the Fourth of July holiday due to the risk of wildfires.

"This will give them the relief they need to keep their businesses open," Redford said of the fireworks vendors. "I appreciate their point of view and their cooperation to this. In the end, we reached a decision that will benefit all of us."

Truckload Fireworks owner Jim Harris said if fireworks sales were banned again, many vendors could have gone out of business.

Truckload Fireworks Locations

--Northeast corner of FM 1936 and University Boulevard.

--Southwest corner of Yukon Road and West County Road.

--Southwest County Road, one mile south of Interstate 20.

"The court did what it should've done, and we appreciate the extra day. We only asked (to sell) for two days," Harris said. "We're back in business."

During the summer, Harris had only one fireworks stand open, out of a total 23 stands throughout Texas. Harris said the fireworks industry loses hundreds of thousands of dollars when fireworks bans take place during the holidays.

Harris said he will open three or four locations in Ector County for the New Year holiday. Though he would not disclose totals from January 2011New Year's sales, Harris said he sold enough fireworks to pay $8,000 to the Texas Comptroller's Office.

Harris said he disagreed with a total ban on fireworks and has spent the last 27 years "with no disasters and no fires to report."

However, West Odessa Volunteer Fire Department Chief Jimmy Ellis said there's always a danger of fires being caused by fireworks.

"Fireworks are a danger when we're as dry as we are. On the Fourth of July, that's 99 percent of all our runs," Ellis said. However, Ellis said his department doesn't get as many calls of fireworks fires during the New Year holiday.

Harris said he has suggested that the county work with fireworks vendors to find a safe area outside the city where fireworks sales and use could take place.

"There's a better answer if we think outside the box," Harris said. "All or nothing is not the answer. There's got to be a way to continue an industry without causing a disaster."

@OAcityLife

In other action, commissioners approved:

--A resolution regarding amendments to the Ector County 457 Deferred Compensation Plan in accordance with the Internal Revenue Service.

--A service agreement with Smith's Detection.

--Overtime pay for detention officers as needed to cover the mandated ratio of officers to inmates.

<p>--$62 from contract services to other insurance.

--Adoption of the Ector County fund balance policy.

--Payment to the Texas Conference of Urban Counties for annual dues.

--Accounts payable fund requirements report for Dec. 27 and to review county financial statements and reports.

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(c)2011 the Odessa American (Odessa, Texas)

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