Sapulpa City Council has approved a recommended change to the city ordinance regarding fireworks following a unanimous vote on Monday, September 15th.
The change stems from the unanimous recommendation made by the Public Safety and Justice Committee at its August 25, 2025 meeting, at which the committee suggested the city reduce the days and hours that fireworks may be discharged during the Independence Day holiday.
The Public Safety and Justice Committee convenes at irregular intervals; the last meeting prior to August 25th was in January of 2024. Before that it was May 4th, 2023. The committee didn’t meet in 2022.
The recommendation was that the permitted discharge of consumer fireworks be restricted to July 3rd and 4th between the hours of noon and 10:59 p.m. Previously, residents were allowed to shoot fireworks from July 3rd to July 5th, between the hours of noon and 11:59pm.
A motion to approve was unanimous, with councilors Elizabeth Nicolas, Jeff Molina, Alexander Hamilton, Marty Cummins, Carla Gunn, Hugo Naifeh, Richard Hudson and Sherry Capps all voting yes. Mayor Craig Henderson and Councilor David Mortazavi were absent.
City officials familiar with the change told Sapulpa Times it was the result of a number of phone calls and complaints made to the city about excessive fireworks usage after July 4th. There was no comment made on whether the lack of a large public fireworks show—which American Heritage Bank hosted for years prior to Covid—contributed to the excessive discharge.
In related news, Sapulpa City Council also approved the following contracts:
- A new contract with AXON Enterprises for body cameras and tasers for Sapulpa Police.
- Acceptance of a grant for repairs to the Sahoma Lake Dam, which requires a 65% FEMA–OWRB share and a 35% City match. Planned repairs include the intake structure, concrete spillway, spillway channel, and earthen dam.
- Renewal of the City’s existing contract with ESRI for ArcGIS licensing and software.
