By Phyllis Rose
Schoolcraft’s Fourth of July fireworks have been cancelled in a unanimous “No” vote by the Schoolcraft Township Board at its May 14 meeting. The decision was fueled by safety concerns surrounding the event.
At the meeting, Toni Rafferty from the Fourth of July committee presented paperwork the Board had previously requested for the planned fireworks which were to be held within the Township at Dome Sports Center, 12733 N. US 131.
Board members questioned Rafferty and Lieutenant James VanZile from the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office about safety at the event, mostly dealing with traffic issues due to the ongoing construction on US-131 through Schoolcraft village.
Concerns were expressed about getting emergency vehicles into the area if needed, about people turning left from the highway into the fireworks site, and possible damage to adjacent fields, which reportedly happened last year.
Township supervisor Don Ulsh said, “Personally, I think it’s going to be a disaster.”
Clerk Virginia Mongrieg added, “I don’t want to have it. It’s an accident waiting to happen.”
In the end, the Board wasn’t sure if it had the authority to prevent the fireworks display. Members voted with the proviso that they would check with their lawyers.
Two days after the vote, Ulsh reported that the lawyers indicated the fireworks committee needed the Township’s authority to proceed. Without that, the fireworks have been cancelled.
Informed by the Township Board of the lawyer’s decision, Rafferty confirmed that the fireworks have been cancelled due to the safety concerns because of construction on U.S. 131. The location for the planned fireworks this year was in the Township just outside the Schoolcraft Village limits so that’s why they had to ask for the Township’s approval, she said.
Despite this year’s cancellation, fundraising plans for next year’s fireworks are going ahead as planned, said Rafferty. There’s the Fall Fest at the beginning of October and the Christmas Walk with a craft show at the beginning of December.
The Schoolcraft Community Schools have already given their approval for the fireworks to be held at the high school next year since the construction of the football field will be completed by then, she said.
The fireworks have traditionally been staged at the high school.