LOWELL — The council tackled enforcement of quality-of-life issues during its Tuesday night meeting, addressing resident concerns around illegal fireworks and dumping, and dog waste.
Lowell Police Superintendent Greg Hudon responded to a motion made by Councilors Erik Gitschier, Kim Scott and Wayne Jenness requesting a report on the number of violations written for fireworks and plans being taken to stop illegal fireworks usage.
Fireworks are illegal in the state of Massachusetts, even if purchased legally in another state. Hudon noted that community policing and public education versus enforcement was a mitigating factor in compliance.
“Leading up to the Fourth of July holiday we upload informational posts to our social media as well as distribute a press release to illustrate the dangers of using illegal fireworks and appeal to the community to enjoy the display provided by the City of Lowell,” he wrote.
Lowell’s fireworks celebration, traditionally held at LeLacheur Park, launched last July from the area of the Cox Bridge, offering prime riverfront and bridge viewing of the nighttime show.
A report, compiled for Hudon by Crime Analysis/Intelligence Unit Crime Analyst Meghan Ferreira, pulled data from 2019 through 2023, which showed, “Fireworks calls are more prevalent in the month of July than any other month,” with 77-82% of the calls occurring during the five-day timespan around the holiday.
“While criminal charges are infrequent, we’ve had over 30 instances of seized fireworks in the last five years,” Hudon wrote. “Last year, 2023, we saw our efforts reduce our fireworks calls by 25% from the previous year.”
On the State House side, state Rep. Rodney Elliott testified during a public hearing before the joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security regarding his bill to increase penalties for illegal use or possession of fireworks in Massachusetts.
“The misuse of fireworks poses a significant threat to public safety, property, and the well-being of our communities,” Elliott said during his Jan. 20 testimony. “The current fine is less than a parking ticket. By increasing fines for illegal fireworks usage, we not only deter irresponsible behavior but also send a clear message that the safety of our citizens is eminent.”
His testimony tracked with Hudon’s observation that “criminal charges are infrequent.” Since 2019, only 21 criminal violations have been issued by the LPD, and only 11 fireworks cases for the entire court area were filed in Lowell District Court in that same time frame. Besides Lowell, the court also hears cases for the towns of Billerica, Chelmsford, Dracut, Tewksbury and Tyngsboro.
Elliott said his legislation aims to address the concerns raised by the many residents who live in densely populated neighborhoods, where the usage of fireworks exacerbates safety issues.
His bill proposes that individuals caught using illegal fireworks in areas with a population density of 1,000 or more persons per square mile will face a fine between $200 and $500, imprisonment up to six months, or both.
According to the state website, there have been 979 fires and explosions involving illegal fireworks in Massachusetts in the past 10 years.
Gitschier’s motion asking City Manager Tom Golden draft a letter of support from the City Council for Elliott’s House Bill 3634 unanimously passed.
Scott’s illegal dumping motion ran along the same theme of hard-to-enforce activities that negatively impact a neighborhood’s quality of life. Golden’s response said the city was purchasing high-quality cameras to monitor illegal dumping hotspots. Scott called the cameras an “extra set of eyes.”
“I’m getting the same calls over and over again,” she said. “Right now, there’s a section on Meadowcroft Street and another one on Felton Street. These areas, they’re not well lit, there’s no homes near them.”
Assistant City Manager/Department of Planning and Development Director Yovani Baez-Rose said her department had contracted with Flock Security, a vendor of record with the LPD, to roll out 12 cameras.
Locations of the cameras will not be publicized and they will be installed in the spring.
Councilor Paul Ratha Yem raised concerns about dog owners who don’t pick up after their pets, but said he wondered how violations could be enforced.
“What can we do?” he asked. “How do we enforce that?”
Lowell has an ordinance requiring dog owners to pick up after their dogs. Violators can be punished with a $25 fine for each infraction. But enforcement has not always been high on the priority list.
Taking LPD’s lead on fireworks, Golden said the city will launch a spring public information campaign to “remind people to be a conscientious dog owner to pick up after your dog.”
Golden said it could also be modeled on the “Please don’t throw the snow” campaign the city is working on to educate residents about the city’s snow-clearing operations.
The council adjourned its regular meeting to discuss matters of litigation related to an Open Meeting Law complaint.
