Rohnert Park City Council declines to take fireworks ban to voters

A divided Rohnert Park City Council rejected an effort to let voters decide whether to ban the sales and use of fireworks, but delayed a second vote on whether to impose the prohibition itself.

The split vote on the motion by Councilwoman Susan Hollingsworth Adams mirrored the council’s initial 3-2 vote to advance the fireworks ban in early March.

Hollingsworth Adams and Councilwoman Pam Stafford, who oppose the ban, voted to place the issue before voters during the Tuesday night meeting. Hollingsworth Adams said public discussion of the topic has reached the level of “rancor” in some circles.

“I think it’s headed to the ballot,” she said. “And I think us agreeing to put it on the ballot is gonna calm some of that down.”

The City Council’s newest members, Mayor Gerald Giudice, Vice Mayor Jackie Elward and Councilman Willy Linares, disagreed, voting against the proposed ballot effort. They argued that a special election would be expensive and potentially more damaging to nonprofits whose revenues are tied to fireworks sales, compared to the potential offer from the City Council to replace their revenue from fireworks if the ban is approved.

Linares said the decision is the responsibility of the City Council.

“Every second and fourth Tuesday of every month, we vote on very important matters that change the physical landscape, the financial landscape of our city and future of our city,” Linares said. “Sometimes it’s unanimously and sometimes it’s not unanimous. We were elected to this position just like our predecessors in the past.”

The City Council plans to hold a second vote on the proposed ban on firework sales and use on April 13. City staff will also present more detailed information on the possibility of hosting a communitywide July 4th celebration, and the City Council’s ability to replace nonprofits’ revenue from fireworks sales with funds from the City of Rohnert Park Foundation.

Approval of the ban would bring the city in line with most other jurisdictions in Sonoma County, where fireworks are prohibited in seven of its nine cities and unincorporated areas. But ban opponents, who have worked quickly in recent weeks to gather evidence of community support for fireworks sales, are likely to keep fighting.

“I think everybody’s taken a step back and taken a breather, but I have no doubts that they’ll move forward with whatever options they think we can go for,” said Nichole Niklewicz, who started the Save Rohnert Park Fireworks Facebook group, which has gathered hundreds of signatures to voice opposition to the ban.

“We’re gonna exhaust all options,” she said.

You can reach Staff Writer Kaylee Tornay at 707-521-5250 or kaylee.tornay@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @ka_tornay.