The fire department would enforce a proposed ordinance requiring consumers to safely dispose of fireworks.
Failing to dispose of fireworks properly could cost a person a $50 fine, not to mention damage to person or property.
The ordinance is one of several introduced at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
“We’re not going to drive around and be looking for people that are improperly disposing of their fireworks,” Fire Chief Chris Crail said. “It’s really going to come from a complaint or an incident.”
“We have had instances where fireworks have been disposed in the toters and toters caught fire, and then we’ve had fireworks burns up the side of a house or (it) just melts the toter in the middle of the road,” he said. “Those would be obvious instances where a fine could be levied.”
The fire chief would be responsible for educating the public on the proper disposal method.
Proper disposal means putting spent firework casings and cardboard in a bucket of water for at least 15 minutes, depending on the size of the debris. After a reasonable time, drain the water — not into a city sewer or drainage area — and dispose of the soaked fireworks debris in a plastic garbage bag.
“There’s some important changes here,” Councilman Collin Czilli said.
“We don’t want it to be punitive. We want it to be educational,” Mayor Austin Bonta said.
The proposed ordinance will be considered again in March.
Another proposed ordinance would ease regulations for contractors, in keeping with recommendations suggested by the Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce.
In October, former Executive Director Nancy Simpson told the council that current regulations have given Portage a reputation of being a tough city in which to do business.
Bonta said then that Portage is the only city in Porter County that requires contractors to pass a licensing exam. A handful of cities in Lake County do.
The chamber’s board of directors offered ideas for making the city more business-friendly. That includes allowing certifications, past project reviews and client testimonials to take the place of a standardized test in providing an indication of a contractor’s competency.
The chamber also recommended reconsidering the rule requiring a general contractor whenever multiple contractors from different professions are involved in a project. For small projects, that doesn’t make sense, according to the chamber.
The chamber also urged the city to eliminate the requirement that contractors hold licenses for both residential and commercial work. One license would be good for both types of projects.
“This is a significant change to our city code,” Bonta said.
Another proposed ordinance would create a list of contractors for boarding up structures after a fire or similar disaster. Dispatchers would use that list just like the towing list, calling companies on a rotating basis to meet that need.
Yet another proposed ordinance would require residential driveways to be made of the same materials used for sidewalks. That would clarify a bit of confusion in the city code, Bonta said, to make sure contractors use concrete for driveways where a sidewalk bisects the driveway.
Doug Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.