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Mounds View City Council December 9, 2002 <br />Regular Meeting Page 8 <br /> <br /> <br />Chief Zikmund indicated the City would have the challenge of disposing of them whether they <br />are legal or illegal. He then indicated the issue has become less of a concern as the governor- <br />elect has indicated he is not in favor of full legalization of fireworks. <br /> <br />Council Member Stigney indicated he would lean toward leaving the fee as it is as the vendor <br />selling the product should assume some risk for disposal. <br /> <br />Council Member Thomas asked why the vendor should assume part of the disposal if they are <br />doing everything legally. <br /> <br />Council Member Stigney indicated that anyone selling a product in the City should assume some <br />of the risk and costs for disposal associated with that product. <br /> <br />Council Member Thomas indicated she has an issue with charging a disposal fee when the City <br />has another option for recovering the costs. <br /> <br />Council Member Stigney indicated the attorney’s fees may exceed the disposal costs trying to be <br />collected. He then said that having the disposal fee is much cleaner. <br /> <br />Council Member Marty indicated he had talked to some business owners who were interested <br />last year in selling fireworks but the $1,000 fee was cost prohibitive as they would not be able to <br />sell enough to make any profit. He then said that he feels reducing the fee for legitimate business <br />is appropriate as they should not have to pay a penalty for selling fireworks lawfully. <br /> <br />Mr. Linke indicated he agreed with Council Member Thomas and likened the disposal fee to <br />charging Saturn for a fee for an accident a car they sell gets into. He then said it would be more <br />appropriate to penalize the perpetrator doing wrong than to penalize all vendors with a disposal <br />fee. <br /> <br />MOTION/SECOND: Thomas/Marty. To Amend the Fireworks Fee to $550.00. <br /> <br />Council Member Stigney reiterated that he thinks someone selling a hazardous product should <br />take some responsibility for the product they sell. <br /> <br />Council Member Quick indicated he agreed with Council Member Stigney and likened the <br />disposal fee to those types of fees charged by a service garage for rags and disposal of hazardous <br />materials. He then said it is the cost of doing business and those selling fireworks should be able <br />to afford to pay a fee for disposal. <br /> <br />Council Member Marty commented that fireworks can be hazardous but so can gasoline and the <br />City does not charge gas stations more because they sell gasoline. <br /> <br />Council Member Stigney indicated he did not see an analogy between gasoline and fireworks as <br />you do not light gas on fire.