An advisory vote on what Medical Lake residents want to do about the sale and discharge of private fireworks in the city around the Fourth of July will be coming to a ballot — but not anytime soon.
At their Oct. 1 meeting, the City Council held a workshop on the prospects of putting an advisory vote on the issue before residents in an upcoming election. During a presentation, City Administrator Sonny Weathers gave council an overview of the process involved in presenting a ballot measure and several scenarios — including costs — of doing so on various elections.
Four elections are held throughout the year: special elections in February and April, the primary election in August and the general election in November. Ballot measures by local jurisdictions must submit their information to the Spokane County Auditor at least 60 days prior to the election.
If Medical Lake’s City Council wished to put a fireworks measure on the first Tuesday in February, 2025 ballot, it would have to pass an ordinance stating what the measure involved and have it submitted by early to mid-December, 2024. Subsequently a measure on the last election of the year, the November General Election, would require submittal by the first Tuesday in August — the date of the primary election.
Costs for ballot measures vary according to how many items are on each ballot. If Medical Lake were the only jurisdiction with a ballot issue, the cost would range from $20,000 – $25,000.
If another jurisdiction put a measure on the ballot with Medical Lake, they would split this cost. The more issues on a ballot, the more the cost is reduced.
Weathers noted that Medical Lake paid $2,600 in elections costs in November 2023 when it had four City Council positions up for election along with positions in other jurisdictions such as Cheney and Airway Heights and the county.
Running a ballot measure requires an explanatory statement of no more than 175 words be prepared by an attorney, written to that the purpose and impacts of the measure are explained in “common and neutral language.” Two citizen committees, one pro and one con, of up to three members must be appointed by the council and prepare a 250-word statement explaining their position and a 75-word rebuttal of their opponents case.
The advisory vote would be nonbinding, although Weathers said municipalities that conduct nonbinding ballot measures tend to act on the results of the measure they receive.
“It’s an option that could take place, not that it has to,” Weathers said.
“It’s an advisory opinion,” Medical Lake Mayor Terri Cooper added. “It (election results) does not trigger anything.”
Weathers said the value in running a ballot measure on fireworks is elected officials receive a more neutral, broader opinion on an issue from residents than they would if they conducted public hearings. Public hearings tend to be lightly attended, and those who do attend often have emotional attachments and feelings towards the issues.
A nonbinding ballot measure removes the emotion, at least outwardly. Cooper said if the election results showed support from residents for keeping the sale and discharge of fireworks in the city legal, the council would know it’s on “good ground” for leaving the issue alone.
Medical Lake is one of a handful of cities in the state that still allow the sale and discharge of fireworks around the Fourth of July. Locally, only Airway Heights and Deer Park allow fireworks.
If residents indicated they wished to limit fireworks, or even repeal their use, then council could act accordingly. Weathers said any ordinance changing fireworks sale and usage would not go into effect until a year after its passage.
If a repeal ordinance were passed prior to July 4, 2026, it would take effect until prior to July 4, 2027. If the ordinance were passed after July 4, 2026, it would not take effect until after July 4, 2028.
Consensus from council members was to go with the option of putting the measure on the November, 2025 ballot since that election will have more issues and subsequently cost less to the city.
The sale and use of private fireworks around July 4 has long been a contentious issue in Medical Lake. Measures have been passed that limit their use to private property only, while also extending the authority on who can issue firework bans.
In 2021, fireworks were banned on a directive issued by Spokane County Fire District 3, which cited language in the city’s municipal codes giving the fire chief the authority to do so during “a period of hot, dry weather accompanied by low fuel moistures.” At the June 4, 2024 meeting, council voted 5-2 on a resolution extending that authority to the mayor, and Cooper subsequently issued an emergency order prohibiting the sale, purchase and discharge of fireworks in the city.
That order was modified at the June 18 meeting to only use and discharge after Cooper said more research indicated a ban could not include acts of commerce. Council subsequently approved a vendor application to sell fireworks in the city.
Cooper said the August 2023 Gray Road Fire and the destruction it caused in and around Medical Lake has residents thinking differently about the possible impacts of the sale and use of fireworks. Particularly in light of weather conditions that are getting drier and hotter each year.
“Citizens would like to see it (fireworks) resolved once and for all,” she said.
City staff told council they would do more research and return at a future date with a possible resolution or ordinance setting a ballot issue on the future of private fireworks in Medical Lake.
