Fireworks mistake affirmed

Talk about it

Two Harbors City Administrator Lee Klein said there was a problem with the fireworks at Agate Bay July 4. Klein told the city council Monday that the fireworks company reported it had a “new shooter” who did not “follow sequences and shot off a bunch at the same time,” Klein said.

He said all of the shells planned for the show were delivered and the problem was with the person firing them.

Premier’s area representative, Tony Ramberg, did not return phone calls seeking explanation.

Klein said Premier has offered a $1,000 rebate for next year’s show after what became a much shorter show than was expected. It isn’t clear how long the show was supposed to last but several witnesses said the fireworks July 4 went just 10 minutes with a barrage of fireworks in the beginning and then what appeared to be the finale. Typical fireworks shows go for about 20 minutes.

“It was let it rip,” council member John Dover said.

The city council approved a three-year contract with Premier last fall, meaning it would be the fireworks provider through 2012 at $4,000 plus tax each year.

Two Harbors Fire Chief Mark Schlangen said there was no indication by the firing crew that anything was wrong and there was no public safety issue.

City council members took no formal action, saying they still got a nice show even though it was truncated.

Mayor Randy Bolen had hoped Premier would come back and make up for the show at Heritage Days this past weekend. It didn’t.

Council member Mary Henjum Rosati said many cities had no displays at all because of budget limitations. “At least we had fireworks,” she said.

The Lake County Fair also uses Premier.

Liquor store

The council agreed to let the development commission look into a partnership with the new owners of the former VFW near the Curling Club. The city could lease the space for a new liquor store location. The current liquor store on Seventh Avenue is landlocked and parking space has become an issue.

Welcome center

The council approved a letter to the Two Harbors Area Chamber of Commerce supporting a new $3.5 million welcome center on the west side of the city. The letter makes it clear the city would act only as a fiscal agent as the chamber tries to get state and federal aid for the center.

Concerts coming

The city council approved a grant for $4,000 to be used for a series of Friday concerts at the Thomas Owens Park bandshell this summer. The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council applied for the grant through the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund. The first concert will be July 23 as folk singer James Moors takes the stage at 7 p.m. There will be six concerts through Sept. 3.

Street work coming later

The total reconstruction of First Avenue in downtown Two Harbors isn’t set to begin until July 26. Work was planned to begin just after last weekend’s Heritage Days festival but bidding and other final details pushed the start date back, Lake County Highway Engineer Al Goodman told downtown business owners last week. Work will start on the residential 400 and 500 blocks to the east and move toward the business part of the street by late August, Goodman said. The completion date is set for mid-October.

Tags: two harbors, news, city council