Dickinson County officials discuss updating fireworks resolution; no vote taken

Dickinson County commissioners and local fire officials discussed possible changes to the county fireworks resolution during a work session, focusing on whether to extend permitted discharge days and whether to keep a county permit process.

The session opened with Jeremy Stuck, system fire chief, City of Avalon, saying the recommendation to the commission is to keep sales restricted but consider allowing discharge on July 5 in addition to the current July 1–4 window. “The standpoint that the city has taken on this is we’re gonna allow our commission to decide what changes they wanna make for their rules,” Stuck said. He referred to a recent change in state law that allows earlier sales; Stuck said local officials do not intend to move sales earlier than current local practice.

Paul Frederick, Dickinson County Fire District 1, and other fire officials urged keeping the discharge window narrow and emphasized safety and local burn-ban enforcement. Frederick recommended that if a fire district within the county is under a burn ban, that jurisdiction’s ban should preclude fireworks sale and discharge in that area. He also told the commission that many people do not obtain permits even though some residents do, and that improper disposal of spent fireworks has led to structural fires in recent years.

Why it matters: Commissioners said they want consistent rules that align loosely with neighboring cities while allowing local nuance. The discussion touched on public-safety, veteran and animal welfare concerns, retailer business practices and enforcement limits.

Discussion highlights

- Dates and sales: Officials described two separate windows: (1) sales (retail availability) and (2) discharge (the days when residents may set off consumer fireworks). Fire officials and some city representatives said they want to keep sales and discharge windows relatively narrow and, if any extension is approved, to add July 5 only in years when July 4 falls on a Friday (mirroring Chapman’s practice). Jeremy Stuck said sales currently begin in late June (sale-start cited in the session as June 20 under a state law change) and that discharge would remain primarily July 1–4, with consideration for the fifth.

- Permits and enforcement: County staff and commissioners debated the value of maintaining a county permit system. Fire and law‑enforcement speakers said permits give dispatch and responders a record of where fireworks will be used (similar to burn permits), but all noted many residents do not apply. Commissioners asked staff to consider removing permit requirements and to instead strengthen written rules (for example, require roads to remain clear during discharge). The county clerk’s office and dispatch would be involved in any change to notification/enforcement procedures.

- Safety and disposal guidance: Fire officials reported recent structural fires caused by spent fireworks left smoldering in plastic trash cans or placed against buildings. Advice repeated by officials included soaking spent fireworks in water before disposal, waiting until the next day to gather spent items, keeping spent items away from structures, and, if available, placing them in metal containers after they are fully soaked. Fire departments said they will inspect permitted celebratory events and will continue to require commission approval for special exceptions (for example, some New Year’s or large public displays).

- Special concerns: Several speakers asked the commission to consider veterans with PTSD and pets as part of policy decisions. Central Kansas Mental Health was mentioned as a stakeholder to consult on the PTSD impacts.

Next steps and process

County staff said they will draft revised resolution language for commission consideration. Commissioners asked staff to: (1) draft language that mirrors the county/city alignment approach (including the July 5 option when July 4 is on a Friday), (2) clarify how burn‑ban declarations by the governor or local fire jurisdictions will interact with sale/discharge rules, and (3) evaluate whether to remove the permit requirement while adding clear operational rules (for example, keeping roads clear and required safe setbacks). The commission did not vote on policy at the work session and will formally place any proposed resolution language on a future agenda for public comment and a possible vote.

Quotes

“We’re gonna allow our commission to decide what changes they wanna make for their rules,” Jeremy Stuck said, summarizing the fire service recommendation to give the commission authority to set local limits.

“The only thing, if any changing in regulations that I would recommend to the county commissioners is for us out in the county, if we are in burn ban weather, that if that particular fire district is in a burn ban, that negates all district fireworks,” Paul Frederick said, urging an explicit cross‑jurisdictional ban during burn conditions.

Ending

Staff will return proposed language for the declaration of allowable sale and discharge dates, permit requirements and enforcement mechanics; the commission indicated it expects to post the item on a future agenda for public notice and comment before taking a formal vote.