 - The Riverton City Council approved a fireworks permit for the Riverton Rendezvous Balloon Committee this week, despite objections from the local fire chief.){kind=link}
(Riverton, WY) – The Riverton City Council approved a fireworks permit for the Riverton Rendezvous Balloon Committee this week, despite objections from the local fire chief. The Rendezvous Balloon Rally fireworks show is set to take place on July 18 at 10 PM.
Riverton Volunteer Fire Department Chief Jesse Cassity provided a letter to city staff on Tuesday, “not approving the firework display … due to current fire risk conditions that have reached an extreme level,” Deputy City Clerk Max Batista reported during a council meeting that evening.
“Based on current conditions and the absence of fire department approval, staff is presenting this matter to the mayor and council for consideration and direction regarding this permit,” Batista said.
Public hearing
Balloon Committee Member Ryan Preston spoke in favor of approving the permit during a public hearing on the issue this week, noting that the launch site for the event – the James H. Moore Center parking lot at 851 College View Drive – is mostly surrounded by “irrigated land.”
Plus, he said, the fireworks show will be managed by a professional, insured pyrotechnic company that the Balloon Committee is paying “up to $10,000 just to do this event.”
Local business owner Rafael Delgadillo said he supported the permit application, too, expressing confidence that the professional fireworks company would “know how to do this properly.”
“The real danger is unauthorized fireworks in the city,” he added.
Mayor Tim Hancock agreed that “there is a little bit of a difference” between a professional fireworks show and the “free-for-all” the council decided not to allow on the Fourth of July this year.
“I understand and respect Chief Cassity, (and) I want to listen to what he has to say,” Hancock said. “I do think, though, to a certain extent, it’s different when you’ve got a professional fireworks company (on) irrigated land.”
Councilmember Karen Johnson suggested that the city could show that it takes Cassidy’s message “seriously” by contacting area residents before the event and encouraging them to “take extra precautions,” making sure that their lawns and roofs are “wetted down,” for example.
“(That’s) not a bad idea,” Hancock said, recommending using the TextMyGov application to notify local residents about the show.
Councilmember Eric Carr also asked organizers to ensure that the proper notifications are submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration so users of the nearby hospital helipad are aware of the event.
The Balloon Committee application indicates that the fireworks show will take place at about 10 p.m. Saturday, July 18, as part of the 46th Annual Riverton Rendezvous Balloon Rally.