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Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
County reluctantly approves controversial firework permits, businesses drop litigation
CHEYENNE — Laramie County Commissioner Troy Thompson voted reluctantly Tuesday afternoon to approve the permits required to sell fireworks this year for Artillery World and Jurassic Fireworks, something he has opposed for the past several years. The change of mind came after Frank 'Pete' Elliott Jr., the father of the owner Breanna Elliott, agreed to certain stipulations. These include that he step away from managerial positions, is not allowed within 300 yards of the businesses and drops all active court cases against the county. 'I've been very much opposed to this business being in Laramie County, and I have stated that time and time again over the past seven years,' Thompson said. 'Now we're presented with Mr. Elliott saying, 'Hey, I'm going to step aside and let my daughters do it.' I'm still concerned. I think when you guys say, 'Hey, listen, we have worked in this business since we were 12 years old, and our dad and our granddad taught us what we know,' that, to me, throws up a red flag immediately.' Elliott said this comment is disgusting, and he claims he is still being discriminated against by the county for being a Colorado-owned business. He said the stipulations he agreed to are not a resolution to the issue, but rather a strong-arm from the county, leaving him no other options. He said his battle with Laramie County officials is far from over, adding that he feels free to take more action now that he is no longer attached to his daughter's business. 'As Thomas Jefferson once said, 'Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it …' That's not just a quote — that's a warning,' Elliott told the WTE in a text message. 'So maybe they think they put the final nail in my coffin. But if they did … they should've made sure I wasn't still breathing.' Thompson said he has spoken out against the businesses for being a bad neighbor, a public safety liability and a poor business partner to the county. When the Laramie County Board of County Commissioners met Tuesday, Thompson said he has witnessed or heard reports of trucks running up and down the road, young people standing on top of tractor-trailers waving flags and people standing in the public right of way with a bullhorn to attract customers to the store. Elliott described these as unorthodox marketing practices and said he has received no citations from the Laramie County Sheriff's Office as a result. LCSO could not be reached prior to publication to confirm this. 'They can't name one threat. They can't name one person I abused; it's never going to happen. I don't think like that. That's not who I am,' Elliott said. Prior to the commissioners approving the permit applications for the businesses, Laramie County Attorney Mark Voss read the conditions Elliott agreed to. They are as follows: * Elliott shall not be present or within 300 yards, travel along Interstate 25 excluded, of the location of the respective fireworks permits and withdraw from operation and management locally. * Should there be a violation of Condition 1, the applicant agrees that it could be the basis for a revocation of all the permits. * Should there be an incident in which that allegation occurs, or there's a sufficient violation of the Laramie County fireworks regulations, the commissioners will hold a hearing to consider whether revocation should occur. * Should a hearing be held, and should the incident result in a revocation at that time, the permits are forfeited immediately, and retail sales are halted. * Finally, Elliott and or his counsel must dismiss and cease any pending litigation on matters that occurred prior to this. Elliott did not indicate exactly what he will do next, but said he will seek justice through the judicial system. The county commissioners approved all five permits submitted by Seasonal Sales Inc. — formerly known as Breanna Elliott, doing business as Artillery Works and Jurassic Fireworks — for the five buildings it operates. Before doing this, County Commissioner Linda Heath said the county will be keeping a close eye on the businesses. 'We will be watching, and next year can be a different story,' she said. 'I encourage you, please follow the rules. I don't want to shut a business out of Laramie County, but at the same time, I don't want businesses to operate with disrespectful patterns.' Last year, the businesses were denied the permit applications submitted under Breanna Elliott's name. Following this, the Elliotts sued the county over this decision. In May 2024, the First Judicial District Court of Laramie County issued a preliminary injunction, meaning the businesses could continue to operate until the court passed judgment on whether the commissioners' decision was lawful as part of the petitions for review filed by each company. At the time, Breanna Elliott said approximately 90% of revenues are generated during the Fourth of July season, and she estimated that, without immediate relief, loss to the companies would be over $2 million. The Elliotts' legal counsel, Bruce Asay, said that agreeing to drop this ongoing litigation as part of the deal to get permits approved this year shows good faith from the Elliotts to comply. 'The fact that Mr. Elliott and the applicants are willing to forgo and essentially dismiss the pending litigation, I think that's significant,' Asay said Tuesday. 'You don't like litigation on behalf of the public, and we would rather sell fireworks than engage in litigation, so I think it's a significant step forward on both parties.' Although Frank Elliott said he will continue to fight what he sees as discrimination, he said he was willing to step away from the businesses if it was what is best for his daughter. 'As long as my kids are left alone,' he said. 'I'm Papa Bear; don't mess with my children. That's all I can say. I would hope that any other human being would be the same way when they have children.'
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Discrimination allegations reignite after county commissioners deny fireworks permit again
CHEYENNE — When the Laramie County commissioners denied Artillery World and Jurassic Fireworks a permit to sell fireworks in the county last year, Frank 'Pete' Elliott Jr. accused the governing body of discrimination against the stores for being Colorado-owned, likening it to discrimination against minorities during the Civil Rights era in the 1960s. 'This is going to be a Rosa Parks book,' Elliott, who represented the businesses, told the WTE last year. 'Everybody's going to know.' On Tuesday, the county commissioners again voted to deny the annual permit for Artillery World to operate. Despite being denied a permit twice last year, the businesses were able to continue to operate after a First Judicial District Court judge issued a preliminary injunction when the fireworks businesses sued the county over its decision. This means the businesses continued to operate until the court passes judgment on whether the commissioners' decision was lawful as part of the petitions for review filed by each company. Commissioner Ty Zwonitzer said he did not feel comfortable approving this permit while the litigation between the county and Elliott is ongoing. Commissioner Troy Thompson echoed this sentiment. But the primary reason members of the governing body oppose issuing the permits is because they see the fireworks stores as bad business partners for the county. Last year, Thompson said in a commissioners meeting discussing the permit that Elliott would project recorded messages on bullhorns criticizing Phantom Fireworks, which is next door. The Laramie County Sheriff's Office had to address noise complaints there multiple times. Additionally, he said employees would stand on top of tractor-trailers waving flags, and stand in the middle of the road to direct traffic to their store, instead of the nearby rivals. Elliott said these were just his unorthodox marketing tactics in response to rumors he believed Phantom Fireworks started about him, including that he sexually harassed their female employees, attempted to pay people to burn down their building and sends people to damage Phantom's products. Artillery World and Jurassic Fireworks are registered under the name Breanna Elliott, Frank Elliott's daughter, but Frank Elliott oversees much of the operations of the fireworks businesses and has been vocally critical of the commissioners. The cases against the county were filed under Breanna's name, not Frank's. Thompson's concerns rose when his personal business received a call from Frank Elliott about an upcoming protest against his vote to deny the permit, something he has done for the past six years. When the commissioners met Tuesday, Thompson played the recording of the phone call to his office. He said the call took place in May 2024. In the call, Elliott asked the receptionist how many employees work at Tri-State Veterinary Clinic, which Thompson owns. 'Weird question,' Elliott said of his inquiry in the call, 'but we are looking to protect some of the employees and staff from what's coming to happen here real soon. ... There's going to be a big protest … there's going to be a big protest outside coming up in the next week or so and we just want to make sure that the employees know it's nothing towards them, and there's no harm, that they're going to be safe, we're not going to do nothing out to disrupt them.' Thompson said he took this call as a personal threat toward him and his business. 'It just goes to this history of this man being a bully to our employees, to whoever it is that he thinks is standing in his way,' Thompson said. 'And I cannot, in good conscience, ever vote for this person to be doing business in Laramie County. This isn't what we want in Laramie County.' Commission Chairman Gunnar Malm agreed with Thompson, adding that it is inappropriate for a member of the public to threaten or protest in this manner. 'I don't see how that is appropriate in any world where we're a civilized society, especially not in Wyoming,' Malm said. Malm added that this not a case of discrimination against the business for being Colorado-owned, because the other fireworks stores in the same area are based out of state, as well, but have had their permits approved. 'It has nothing to do with that. It is about behavior, it's about attitude, and it is about decorum,' he said. 'And those are the things that I strongly believe this applicant does not possess, and I am against allowing them to do business in Laramie County if this is how they're going to behave.' The protest never happened at Thompson's business. Thompson said he believes it is because the stores were awarded a preliminary injunction to remain operational. Elliott said he does not believe the call indicated any sort of threat. Rather, he said he was looking out for the safety of Thompson's employees while wanting to exercise his right to organize a peaceful protest. 'I didn't hear it, but I can imagine there's no threat because I don't threaten people. That's my M.O.,' Elliott said. He added that he knew the denial of the permit was coming because that's what he's come to expect from the Laramie County commissioners. Elliott said he will seek every legal remedy possible to overturn the decision the commissioners made Tuesday, something he said last year after the same decision. When granted the injunction last year, the fireworks stores were given conditions to follow in order to keep the business open while the litigation plays out. Those conditions were: * Nobody representing Artillery World or Jurassic Fireworks could enter the right of way using a bullhorn, waving flags or engaging in activities to direct people toward their property * If using a bullhorn, it could only be from their property and not from an elevated platform, though speakers on their building are acceptable, as long as these sounds do not exceed 80 decibels at the property's border; and * Nobody representing Artillery World or Jurassic Fireworks can engage in any harassment or conduct that is likely to disturb or interfere with other fireworks business operations. Bruce Asay, Elliott's legal counsel, said the businesses have abided by those conditions over the past year, and he argued the commissioners have no legal grounds to deny the permit. The commissioners also voted to fold those three conditions into any subsequent fireworks permit applications for any business in the county, something Asay said he is supportive of.
