Gering council takes no action on fireworks ban

The Gering council adjourned a special meeting Friday without taking action on a possible ban on fireworks due to the dry conditions.

Council member Dan Smith said putting a ban on fireworks in the city would just move fireworks out to the rural areas where it is even drier.

Council members and several people in a crowded city hall chambers said discussing a fireworks ban halfway through the July 4th fireworks season was not fair to the vendors. Gering Police Chief Mel Griggs said the city had received only half as many complaints about fireworks this years compared to last year.

Several people indicated there seemed to be fewer people discharging fireworks this year. Vendors told the council their revenue is down this year, perhaps because of the fear of starting a fire.