Miami Springs canceled its Fourth of July fireworks. But residents said not so fast

After a public outcry, the city of Miami Springs reversed course and will now host its traditional Fourth of July fireworks at the Miami Springs Golf & Country Club.

On Monday, the Miami Springs City Council voted to cancel this year’s fireworks show after discussing concerns related to the possible loss of their deposit, the ability to enforce social distancing rules and the value of a virtual fireworks show. The city joined most other cities in Miami-Dade County that canceled fireworks shows due to coronavirus restrictions and concerns.

But Mayor Billy Bain, the only member on Monday to vote in favor of keeping the fireworks display this year, said public outcry drove him to call a special council meeting on Wednesday, where the council unanimously voted to reinstate this year’s fireworks show. The council did not reconsider its earlier decision to cancel the Fourth of July parade.

Nobody spoke during the public comments portion of the meeting either in defense of or against the fireworks display. Bain said people reached out to him via phone calls and email to express their disappointment.

Councilwoman Maria Puente Mitchell, who proposed the motion to kill this year’s fireworks show on Monday, said on Wednesday that her concerns were directly related to the possible loss of a $16,000 deposit to Firepower Displays should the city need to cancel the show at a later date.

City Manager and Finance Director William Alonso said Wednesday that new amendments to the contract with Firepower Displays would allow the city to hold off paying its 50% deposit until July 1, with the other 50% due July 5. The deposit is usually due 30 days before an event. That eased Mitchell’s concerns that the city would be on the hook for $13,000 if the event had to be canceled.

The village of Virginia Gardens, which sits next to Miami Springs, is contributing $3,000 to the $16,000 total bill.

“My reason for not wanting the fireworks is I didn’t want our city to be out $16,000,” Mitchell said Wednesday.

Councilman Bob Best, who seconded Mitchell’s motion on Monday, said he voted to cancel the fireworks out of concern for the city.

“I don’t think it was our intention to disallow fireworks just to save $16,000,” Best said at Wednesday’s meeting. “I think the most important reason was to protect the city.”

Best did not elaborate on what changed over the course of two days in relation to the city’s protection nor did he return the Miami Herald’s request for comment.

Bain told the Miami Herald after Wednesday’s meeting, which was held online, that something must have changed for council members to convert a 3-1 decision to cancel the fireworks to a unanimous decision to reinstate the fireworks.

“Somebody changed their mind, it’s not just me,” Bain said. “Because they sure didn’t listen to me the last two meetings.”

Bain said he was “very upset” when the fireworks were originally canceled.

“So I guess we can say we’re not going to do Christmas parties, we’re not going to do Halloween, we’re not going to do anything. We’re just going to sit at home and look at each other,” Bain told the Miami Herald after Wednesday’s meeting.

At Monday’s in-person meeting, Bain said people who attended who were socially distanced and wearing masks proved that residents could follow rules.

“We cannot keep living like groundhogs and just live in our hole,” Bain said at Monday’s meeting. “We have something to look forward to.”

Mitchell said Monday she didn’t think a virtual fireworks show was worth the $16,000 price when Miami Springs residents can watch virtual displays hosted by other cities.

“I think we just save the money and wait until next year,” Mitchell said Monday. She was also concerned that people may be encouraged to gather in each other’s houses to watch the show together, defeating the purpose of social distancing guidelines.

Allyson Acosta, the director of Firepower’s Miami location, said the city would owe at most $615 if it canceled before July 1.

The city has not yet finalized what conditions will be in place for the fireworks show to ensure social distancing. Bain said the council will discuss it at its June 22 meeting.

The recommendation submitted to the council for its May 26 meeting by Recreation Director Omar Luna stated spectators would be allowed to attend the fireworks show as long as they maintained social distancing and wore masks. The recommendation said no tents, barbecues, sporting equipment, picnicking or tailgating would be allowed.

The fireworks will also be streamed online.

Bain said residents who reached out to him couldn’t understand why those protesting George Floyd’s death, who are “not being safe” according to Bain, would be allowed to gather and march but not attend a Fourth of July fireworks show.

George Floyd died on Memorial Day after a Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee to his neck for nearly nine minutes. His death sparked protests across the country and internationally, including mostly peaceful protests in Miami.