GALION- After the Fourth of July holiday, concerns over fireworks were brought forward during the regular Galion City Council meeting held on Tuesday, July 12.

City council member Melissa Frank addressed the issue of fireworks being set off with her fellow council members. Frank explained she wanted to talk about fireworks and possibly amending legislation.

“I think next year we need to look at that. Where I live it was very disturbing and very loud, more so than I expected. It sounded like a war zone. It hasn’t been like that before. The conditions (weather) were also extremely dry, it hadn’t rained in two weeks. So, I was also concerned about that. I noticed from feedback that a lot of people lost dogs and there was a lot of dogs barking. There was just a lot going on,” Frank said.

Frank explained she wanted to know if anyone else had experienced anything like that and wanted to know if council could possibly talk about the issue next year, or perhaps even sooner.

“We have the rest of the summer and I just don’t know where to go from it. I really wouldn’t say anything if it wasn’t disturbing but it was,” Frank stated.

Councilman Dr. Thomas Fellner responded and said he completely agreed with Frank.

“I think that could have been easily predicted when the law went in. With the law it listed a ton of rules, whoever created this law at the state level was ridiculous. To have municipalities then enforce that, and the police chief was here and said they weren’t really going to answer firework calls because they knew there would be a ton of them,” Fellner said.

Some of the rules stated in the law included fireworks could not be set off within 150 feet of a house and could not be set off within 150 feet of anyone under the age of 18. However, enforcement on these rules regarding fireworks can be difficult for local law enforcement, it was discussed in the council meeting.

It was stated by the Galion City Law Director Thomas Palmer that the City of Galion could pass an ordinance stating the city would maintain the level of fireworks previously used prior to this most recent Fourth of July holiday.

“The new higher degree of fireworks would not be allowed to be discharged within city limits. That is somewhat an easier thing to enforce. I always thought it was a cleaner enforcement and more effective to maintain the level we have had for the last 20 years. You have the ability at any time to enact that, Mansfield enacted it by keeping it at the same level it was before,” Palmer stated.

In order for council to enact anything, it was stated it would take the action of laws and ordinances.

The next regular Galion City Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 26 at 7 p.m.