Fireworks vote may be silenced

Mayor Larry Franzella and Ruane are clearly against selling fireworks in the city while Vice Mayor Irene O'Connell and Councilman Chris Pallas want to keep the fireworks.

Councilman Ken Ibarra previously agreed with the mayor on banning the sales due to safety concerns but said he did not want to prevent a vote of the people to decide the issue.

Ibarra will clearly be the deciding vote at Tuesday night's meeting whether voters will have a chance to keep the patriotic pastime alive.

Safe and sane fireworks mask the use of bigger, illegal mortars that pose a public safety threat, both the police chief and fire chief said.

The departments do not have the resources to respond appropriately to the dangers of illegal fireworks set off in July, Ruane said.

The Aug. 11 vote came after 54 members of the public spoke on the issue and O'Connell made the motion to put the decision to voters because more than half the speakers supported safe and sane fireworks sales.

Fireworks sales fuel fund-raising efforts for 18 nonprofit groups in San Bruno that rely on the quick and easy money to pay for youth sports and other programs.

The police and fire departments received more than 200 calls from residents during the July 4 holiday.

"We have been lucky in the past not to have any major problems. It's a no-brainer to me. It's time to put this behind us and move on to bigger and better things," Ruane said.

In August, Mayor Franzella said San Bruno is a magnet for people on Fourth of July to set off illegal fireworks because fireworks are illegal in most of the county.

Ibarra did not return calls Friday.