By Diane Kendrick / L’Observateur / July 13, 1998

DEAR EDITOR: I’m addressing this to the St. John the Baptist Parish Council and ParishPresident Arnold Labat.

Your new ordinance, which concerns the shooting of fireworks on July 4 from dusk to 10 p.m., has left me with the following questions.1. Who is responsible for damage to personal property? The reason I ask isthat my granddaughter’s swimming pool, which was left lying on a park bench about 4 feet from my side door, has two burned holes in it, one the size of a person’s hand. I also have a spot on my fence where fivesparklers were put together and burned.

2. If my family and myself don’t shoot fireworks, then why should I haveto go outside and pick up pieces of fireworks for hours that some careless person has shot? I also have a 1-week-old van that had 10 firecrackers under it. What ifthere would have been a gas leak? The council needs to amend its ordinance to say that whoever shoots fireworks and causes damage to someone’s property is responsible for all damages incurred, along with the responsibility of cleaning up the debris.

A fine should be imposed upon said person or persons involved.

Does the St. John Parish Council not care what could happen to the peopleof St. John the Baptist Parish? Once again, a hurried-up new law does notcover the problems thoroughly. The what-ifs need to be written down.The 20-year ban on fireworks was great for the citizens of St. JohnParish. The first time it is legal, fireworks did not stop at 10 p.m. Theywere shot beside me until 10:25 p.m., to prove that some people may beexempt from the St. John the Baptist Parish laws.Thanks again for nothing.

Diane Kendrick

LaPlace

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