City objects to fireworks location; questions chamber membership

by Peter Jakey-Managing Editor

Onaway city officials have taken issue with an Onaway Area Chamber of Commerce’s proposal to move the 2014 Fourth of July fireworks show to the Onaway Speedway.

There was considerable discussion at Monday’s first commission meeting of the year, but it is not the only issue the city has with the chamber as the renewal of the city’s chamber membership is on hold until the organization submits copies of its budget and financial report.

The fireworks matter was brought to the table first by city manager Joe Hefele, who had a copy of the Dec. 20, 2013 Onaway Outlook. He said the feature “chamber news” stated a move of the fireworks from the privately owned field off M-211 to the speedway was being “finalized.”

The city manager believes the speedway would not be as safe as the current location, owned by the Horrocks family.

Hefele said the fireworks show has always been a partnership between the city, neighboring townships, the chamber, a few area businesses and the Onaway Area Fire Department (OAFD).

The fireworks are shot off from a spot at least 2,000 feet from a road or building in any direction.

Hefele believes there is no reason to move the location of the fireworks show.

“You have to have 100 feet of clear space, no buildings roads, people, spectators, per inch of shell you are going to shoot off,” said Hefele during the meeting. “The largest shell shot off by the Onaway Area Fire Department, during the July Fourth fireworks show, is 10 inches. Homeland Security prevents anything larger than that.

“At 100 feet of clear space per inch, that means, to shoot off these 10-inch shells, you have to have at least 1,000 feet clearance in every direction.”

Hefele told the commission the current location is 300 acres and has 13 million square feet. “We have twice what we need. It is about as safe a spot as you’ll find around here.”

Hefele said the site the chamber proposed is just over 40 acres.

“The city insures the show, pulls the permit from the state, and is responsible for the location,” Hefele stated. “The city also pays the bills for the fireworks and is responsible for them from the day they arrive until they are shot off.”

The OAFD orders the fireworks, preps the site, shoots them off and cleans up the site.

“In my mind, this is how this has to continue,” said Hefele. “As far as selecting a site, that has to be a coordinated effort between the city and the fire department. The chamber cannot simply choose the site.”

Fire chief Roger Nash was in attendance to answer any questions; however, no chamber reps were there to comment.

Nash told the commission he is comfortable with the current location, but told the chamber he was not opposed to a move to pursue other options.

“We would pursue other options if we had to, but I would rather not,” said Nash.  He added that with the larger space north of town, the fireworks could be shot off with wind from any direction.

“Everybody remembers when Charlevoix had an incident and people got injured – they were obviously too close,” said commissioner Bernie Schmeltzer.

“Even ours, when they were falling on the school roof,” added commissioner Jessie Horrocks, sitting in on her first meeting of a two-year term.

Hefele said the city would budget $6,100, “assuming that the money that was collected by the cheerleading crew last year during the parade is turned over (by the chamber) and put in that budget.” The city manager will be putting in a request for those dollars.

“Joe, how much money did the chamber collect?” Schmeltzer asked.

“I’m not sure Bernie. I’ll have to find that out,” Hefele responded.

Later in the meeting, there was further discussion about the chamber, this time involving the continuation of membership in 2014 and beyond.

Hefele recommended, “short of there being significantly more transparency from this chamber, there is no way that I can recommend that we continue to be a member.”

Hefele sent the chamber president a letter requesting “basic information,” including: list of board members; a 2013-14 budget; and a current financial report.

“As a chamber member, I believe we were and are entitled to this information,” stated Hefele. He also believes any chamber member that asks to see a budget and financial report should be given t

hose documents.

“This is what frustrates me,” commissioner Charles Abshagen interjected. “Is that this very organization, whose board members have accused us, and lobbed shells at us…of not being open and transparent. After we have provided to them over, and over, and over again with the same information. This same organization won’t tell us, a member of the organization, anything about their budget.”

Abshagen vehemently opposed continued membership with the chamber “until there is more transparency.”