No fireworks for you

Though many folks are looking forward to flipping the calendar to 2021, the New Year won't be welcomed with a bang – at least not in Hartley.

The city council on Monday agreed to keep the current ordinance as-is following a request from a resident to allow fireworks Dec. 31-Jan. 1. Hartley has one of the more strict fireworks ordinances in the area, as residents are only allowed to fire away July 3-4 from 10 a.m-11 p.m.

"I'm really not in favor of it," Mayor Rodney Ahrenstorff said of changing the ordinance. "You give them that leeway, then it will be the day before and the day after, and so on and so forth."

Following fireworks' legalization in Iowa in 2017, the council passed rules limiting their use inside Hartley city limits. They significantly differ from state law, which allows the sale and usage of fireworks from June 1-July 8, and again from Dec. 10-Jan. 3. The city council took advantage of a caveat in the law that allows local governments to restrict or ban the use of fireworks; however, prohibitive ordinances cannot be placed on their sale.

Hartley's tight ordinance was passed after council members received several complaints from residents following fireworks' legalization. A fine structure was also implemented. Offenders first receive a warning, but citations escalate from $100 to $400 for the next three violations. A fourth offense and all subsequent citations are $500.

No council members were in favor of changing the current rules.

"We decided they're in July, and that's it," said Council Member Ron Hengeveld.

Police Chief Joe Hengeveld reported that no citations were issued this year, but the department did respond to a few fireworks-related calls.