Lake Holcombe Town Board; Fireworks display will continue as planned – for now
Tony Fasbender, on behalf of the Lake Holcombe Resort and Business Association, makes it clear to the town board May 13, how big an area is needed to shoot off the annual fireworks display July 4. Fasbender stated that not anyone can have fireworks, as they are illegal to set off, unless it is a sanctioned event. Photo by Ginna Young
By Ginna Young
The July 4 fireworks display is something that draws in quite the crowd of onlookers each year. However, the spot at the Wayside Park where the display is shot off, is not the most ideal, which is why Tony Fasbender, Lake Holcombe Resort and Business Association (LHRBA), was on hand May 14, to discuss the matter with the Lake Holcombe Town Board.
“We have somebody that would like to financially expand the size of the display,” said Fasbender.
Right now, with trees surrounding the Wayside Park, the area is not feasible to increase the size of the display. Previously, the annual display took place at Paradise Shores 4, across from the park. With the location at the hotel, a steel barge was used to place the display on to shoot out over the water.
“But, if there were any issues, the show was done, because you couldn’t go out there and do anything with that,” said Fasbender, adding the Wayside works out better for technical reasons. “We really like the spot. It works out really good.”
Town resident Andrew Burgraff questioned if there might be a better place to shoot off the display, such as the Wayside Beach, as many people who don’t live on the lake or have access to a boat, have trouble seeing the display.
Fasbender says, that by state code and per their liability insurance, the LHRBA has no choice in some cases, on where they shoot off the display. The fireworks have to have 100 feet of clearance from structures, per inch of shells that are shot off.
“That’s how that spot got picked,” said Fasbender.
The association has researched trying to find alternative spots and spoke to Northern States Power, who said they will not allow use of the dyke for the display. The LHRBA also looked at installing a floating dock, but are not sure if the DNR would give permission, even if the town was on board for it.
Fasbender said for this year, the display will remain the same, but wanted to let the board know that talks should continue for the future, to reach a good solution for everyone.
“It’s one of those things that we’re making the best of the situation, but we’d like to make them (fireworks) better,” said Fasbender.
During the meeting, the board also had their first reading of a litter ordinance, with members wanting to make sure the wording states that people will not dispose of wood, branches, leaves and grass clippings in trash receptacles at public sites.
Supervisor Doug Olson asked how they go about citing someone in violation of the ordinance.
“How are we going to do that?” he said.
Chairman Brian Guthman says with an ordinance in place, the town will have signs with the ordinance listed and showing the penalty for disregarding it. The sheriff’s department will then enforce the penalty if the violators are captured on camera.
Guthman said people are not to bring garbage or refuse from home, or clean out their car.
“If you have a picnic out there (at the park), we don’t expect that you have to take your stuff home with you,” said Guthman. “That’s what we have the garbage containers out there for.”
Because they didn’t make an official motion at the annual meeting to accept property from David and Sue Staudacher for the Holcombe Area Veterans Memorial, the board officially accepted a quitclaim deed from the couple. D. Staudacher also requested permission to put fill in the flood plain area.
“Drainage is still a bit of an issue,” he said.
Burgraff asked if there is going to be a yearly time limit when the memorial closed, like during the winter, when someone might be in danger of slipping. Olson says the town has municipal liability, which means someone would likely not have a case to sue if they slipped, as long as an effort was made to clear the area.
“That’s one of the reasons why we made it a park and the township owns it,” agreed Guthman, “because that blankets the liability.”
Guthman said he is not sure if there has been a determination on a seasonal limit for the park and that it will be discussed when the memorial is closer to completion.
D. Staudacher also mentioned that Baughman’s Trucking & Excavating in Holcombe, is donating some of the black dirt needed for fill at the memorial site.
“That’s an enormous amount of fill,” said D. Staudacher.
