Around the time of annexation, much of the controversy regarding the annexation centered on the fire and police services. Residents believed that they received a higher quality of police and fire services than the City of Houston offered. When Kingwood became a part of Houston, residents could no longer legally discharge fireworks in Kingwood due to a City of Houston ban. Ordinarily the city government would, post-annexation, allow volunteer fire departments to continue operating under a contract. Due to an inability reach an agreement with the Kingwood Volunteer Fire Department, the city as of 1996 planned to immediately establish fire services after annexation.