The Wellman City Council held their regular meeting June 5 at the Wellman Municipal Building. Photo by Sam McIntosh.

New laws allowing the sale of fireworks in Iowa were signed this spring by Governor Terry Branstad, but the City of Wellman appears to be going against the state law with their fireworks code.

The council decided at their regular meeting Monday to keep their existing fireworks ordinance, which states both the sale and use of fireworks within city limits are illegal. Mayor Ryan Miller suggested they keep the ordinance as it is for this year, as he said it would take a lot of time and effort to change the ordinance. Miller expresses concern on allowing the sale of fireworks in Wellman, “From the sales standpoint, it’s really hard because you’ve got explosives that you’re dealing with. I’m just thinking of somebody renting an empty space downtown here for a month and putting all that stuff in there, and something happens and you’re going to lose half of your downtown.”

However state code reads, “A city council may by ordinance or resolution prohibit or limit the use of consumer fireworks, display fireworks, or novelties.” The code allows cities to prohibit the use, not the sale of fireworks. Regarding sales, applications for a license to do so must be turned in to the state fire marshall’s office, and the process involves a site plan and proof of insurance. Consumer fireworks may be sold between June 1st and July 8th, and December 10 to January 3rd each year.

For a small community like Wellman, the council discussed the difficulty of enforcing new fireworks laws, and the process the town would have to go through with a fire marshall to approve a potential sale location. City Administrator Kelly Litwiller said the council may look at changing their ordinance this fall.