GAS — Any kids here who have a stash of fireworks may shoot them off at their heart’s content whenever they want.
Tuesday evening Gas council members revoked an ordinance that limits use of fireworks to a handful of days before and on the Fourth of July.
Sale of fireworks still will be restricted to June 27 through July 5, which coincides with state law.
The ordinance returns to the good old days, until a reviser of the city’s code arbitrarily limited use of fireworks. After becoming aware, council members discussed it a time or two and decided the way things were had worked fine.
The only limitation will be if noise becomes excessive. Then the city’s noise ordinance will be triggered.
Two other key issues were on the agenda. One, a raise in water rates, was tabled, and the second, what to do about Iola raising wholesale rates, led to an executive session under client-attorney privilege.
City Attorney Ross Albertini said all discussion would occur in the closed portion of the meeting, primarily because Iola officials have not yet corresponded with Gas leaders about a threat to terminate a 30-year contract signed on Dec. 11, 2001, that limits rate increases to Gas to six for the life of the document. All six have occurred.
The advantage is to Gas, contends Mayor Darrell Catron, pointing out that the contract says: “Notice to terminate the contract may be given by either party, and must be given no later than two years prior to the expiration of either 30-year term (there is provision for a second). The contract may otherwise only be terminated by the joint, mutual and written consent of both parties.”
Council members have given no indication of wishing to terminate the contract.
