by WES FERGUSON and BRAD ROLLINS
While stressing that other portions of the city’s “Red, White ’n Buda” Independence Celebration would go on as planned, Buda City Council members on Tuesday voted unanimously to cancel the fireworks display.
New Mayor Sarah Mangham said she didn’t want to risk sparking a fire that could be exacerbated by the severe drought, which has plagued Central Texas and shows no signs of abating.
“Boy, it’s not always fun to decide which way to go on this,” Mangham said, “but I had to think about the welfare of all the citizens of Buda.”
Fire Chief Clay Huckaby seconded her concerns. “With the dry conditions, there’s really no sense in taking a chance with this situation,” he said.
Meanwhile in Kyle, Plum Creek resident Christina Depperschmidt was one of two citizens who insisted that city council members cancel the annual fireworks display scheduled this year for the area of the Plum Creek golf course driving range.
“Honestly, what are we thinking? ... Grown ups sometimes have to decide to postpone their own pleasure to prevent harm to the community,” Depperschmidt said.
But Kyle Fire Chief Glenn Whitaker said he was confident the show could be safely performed at the new location where he said wind would blow firework debris toward a lake or the short, watered grass of the driving range.
“I take it very serious when I sign” off on the fireworks show in dry conditions, Whitaker said, “because I don’t want to look stupid if the world burned up because I signed it. I looked at it very closely and don’t see any issues.”
The Kyle fireworks show is scheduled to begin about 9:30 p.m. on July 4. Residents will be able to see the show from either the Hays CISD Performing Arts Center on Kohlers Crossing or from the HEB or Target shopping centers on Kyle Parkway.
Hays County is in the midst of a burn ban and has also prohibited bottle rockets and other aerial fireworks. To the north, fireworks shows have already been canceled in the Austin, Pflugerville and Lake Travis areas.
Buda will still hold a children’s parade at 10 a.m. July 4, followed by daytime activities and then a concert at 6 p.m. in Buda City Park.
Also at Tuesday’s Buda City Council meeting, Sandra Tenorio was named mayor pro tem.
Members unanimously voted to require the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance before all city council, board and commission meetings. Mangham had cited the measure as one of her early priorities after being sworn in two weeks ago.
