Sparklers will be sold in village

Village of Saugerties trustees have decided not to ban the sale of sparklers for the Fourth of July.

County legislators recently approved a measure allowing the sale of sparklers in the county for July 4 and New Year’s Eve. That law went into effect on Monday, June 1. Still, towns and villages can opt to ban them.

“They can restrict the county law, but they can’t broaden it,” Police Chief Joseph Sinagra said of local governments’ rights under state Home Rule law.

“Let’s give it a shot and see how it goes,” Mayor William Murphy said, “and if there are problems we will ban the sale for December.”

In order to be able to sell sparklers, a business must apply to the state to get a permit, Sinagra said.

So far two companies, both from Pennsylvania where the sale of fireworks is legal, have talked to the chief about selling sparklers.

Sinagra said selling the sparklers might be good for local businesses as a way of making some money.

He added that currently New Yorkers who want to buy sparklers and fireworks drive to Pennsylvania. With the new law in place, many of those people will buy at least the sparklers in the town or village.