RINCON — At the end of its regularly scheduled meeting Monday night, the Rincon City Council handled an explosive situation carefully.

After fears over a substantial monetary loss were assuaged, the council agreed to try to conduct a fireworks show at Freedom Park this year, albeit on Labor Day instead of the Fourth of July.

Mayor Ken Lee was one of a couple council members who expressed early concerns about the possibility of losing a $7,500 fireworks deposit. His feelings changed after discussing the issue with city staff and City Attorney Raymond Dickey.

“I’d like to see a Labor Day event,” Lee said. “I think that could be something that — particularly right now — people would enjoy.”

The mayor said he thinks citizens are eager to be entertained because they have lived under COVID-19 guidelines since March. Current restrictions on the size of gatherings imposed by Gov. Brian Kemp preclude the City of Rincon from hosting its traditional Freedom Rings Fourth of July celebration.

Falcon Fireworks requested a $7,500 deposit for a show, which usually costs a total of $15,000. According to a proposal by the company, the deposit will be good for Freedom Rings in 2021 if COVID-19 restrictions linger until Labor Day.

“Based on what they are proposing now, I really don’t see that there is any way that we can lose,” Lee said. “We know that we are going to do a Fourth of July event next year more than likely. It has been very successful.”

The fireworks vendor has been a reliable city partner for many years. It has also directed the Fourth of July extravaganza on Savannah’s River Street for more two decades.

Dickey said he would propose a contract that would protect the City of Rincon from losing the deposit “short of the company going under.”

In a joking fashion, City Planner LaMeisha Hunter Kelly mentioned that the fireworks company is based in nearby Guyton.

“You can go to (the owner’s) house,” she said, drawing laughter from the council.