Trustees to restrict fireworks

By Jim Maniaci
Cibola County Bureau

MILAN — Selling and using fireworks will be greatly restricted inside the village limits, but not until June 9.

That's when a proclamation, requested by Volunteer Fire Department Chief Keith Austin and approved 3-0 Thursday night by the Milan Board of Trustees, will go into effect. Apparently the board did not want to put it into effect immediately since the state allows such a proclamation to last only 30 days. The board would have to come back and extend it to cover July 4.

The key paragraphs state:

"(1) The sale and use of missile-style rockets, helicopters, aerial spinners, stick-type rockets and ground-audible devices shall be and hereby is banned within the Village of Milan.

"(2) The use within the Village of Milan of any other fireworks not listed in Paragraph (1) of this proclamation shall be limited to areas that are paved or barren or that have a readily accessible source of water for use by the homeowner or the general public."

The proclamation also orders the police (including code enforcement) and fire departments to enforce the restriction.

In his new spirit of maximum public participation, Mayor Tom Ortega asked for comments from the audience on almost every matter, including the proclamation. He also said that the village was required to conduct a hearing before adopting the proclamation.

Mary Ann Sandoval, who operates a fireworks stand by the Milan Supermart, commented, "If they are banned, it will not keep people from getting them. Fireworks are only as safe as the adults lighting them." She said in noting the minimum age to buy is 16 that a safety card is supposed to be given to each purchaser.

Sandoval added, "I've always abided by the state fire marshal and chief of the fire department's regulations." She said she doesn't sell missile-type fireworks because she doesn't like them. And if the village outlaws the stick-type, she would comply, although she does like to sell those.

She told the board that if a package contains forbidden fireworks she opens it and removes the illegal ones before selling it.

Village Attorney Bruce Boynton advised the board that the first paragraph had to be adopted, but the second one was optional.

The proclamation also cites as the need for the proclamation the "current drought indices published by the United States Weather Service and other relevant information as supplied by the United States Forest Service."

The declaration finds the drought since Jan. 1 causes "extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within the Village of Milan." The conditions "warrant and necessitate the proclamation of the existence of a local emergency" and several state departments "have imposed restrictions on fireworks, smoking and open fires on land statewide and including all of Cibola County, effective May 15."

Because the village is surrounded by restricted lands, the proclamation declares "that it is in the best interests of the Village of Milan and its residents that a restriction" be imposed.

The mayor also called a special meeting for Thursday, May 25, at 6 p.m. instead of 6:30 p.m. Topics so far include adoption of the new budget, a liquor license transfer for the American Legion from the old Round-Up Cafe location to the Zuni Mountain Golf Course, a public hearing (a 2nd one will also take place) concerning a proposal to raise the trash pickup charges for homes and businesses by up to $10 a month, and a contract to remodel an old building at the indoor swimming pool into a community room, which could then be rented.

Mayor Pro Tem Manuel Molina and Trustees Ellen Baca and Vivan Brumbelow attended the 2-hour meeting Thursday. Trustee George Knotts was on vacation

To contact reporter Jim Maniaci in Grants, telephone 285-6184 or (505) 870-7775 (cellular).