Fireworks ordinances now in place

By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer

MILO — Ordinances concerning the sale and use of consumer fireworks have been enacted for Milo, as both items were approved without opposition by the dozen-plus residents present during a special town meeting on May 24. The regulations had been tabled during a special town meeting last month.

“We have had public hearings on this in the past,” Select Chair Lee McMannus said. He said a vote to approve such a sales ordinance needs to be made by the public and not just by a selectmen’s vote.

“It’s sort of a boilerplate deal, most fire departments and police departments recommend towns have one,” Selectman Peter Hamlin said. He said the ordinance specifies anyone looking to sell consumer fireworks in Milo must first have a permit issued from the selectmen.

“It gives the board some control,” McMannus said.

The permits would be good for one year, with a permit required for each location at which an applicant seeks to sell consumer fireworks. The application fee for the initial permit is $350 and the annual renewal fee is $200, due no later than 30 days prior to the expiration of the existing permit.

A consumer use fireworks ordinance was also passed unanimously. The document says that no one shall use, display, fire or cause to be exploded any consumer fireworks in town or within the waters of Milo other than on the Fourth of July — along with the weekends before and after July 4 — and on Dec. 31 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. for each holiday. Provisions are included for professional fireworks displays, with the business needing to have a permit.

“This ordinance gives the chief, the department some teeth to enforce it,” McMannus said about calls being made to the Milo Police Department.

“There is some money attached to it,” Hamlin said about fines for fireworks use violations. The penalties can range from $50-$500 for each day of violation.

During the annual town meeting in March, citizens approved a loan for a plow truck. McMannus said per the bank’s request, a revised article needed to be approved and this was accomplished at the special town meeting as a principal not to exceed $165,000 for the purchase of the public works vehicle was OKed again.

Every year the state distributes reimbursement funds to snowmobile clubs, with $516 earmarked for the Milo-based Devil’s Sledders Snowmobile Club.

“It’s extra money the state is splitting up among several clubs, it’s just a pass-through to get to the snowmobile club,” McMannus said, with the $500-plus to be used on snow grooming equipment.