Before the vote took place on Tuesday night several residents asked the city commissioners to change the new firearm ordinance to include more restrictive firearm regulations. Here is local resident Cindy Kohlman during public comment.
“I hope that you will vote on the right side of history and that will be to not allow open carry.”
In response to their requests, the commissioners made two changes to the ordinance. The first prohibits anyone who doesn’t not have a license to carry from carrying a gun or fake gun in any public space. During the meeting, commissioner Ruth Kelly said the public would not support an ordinance that doesn’t include this change.
“A child could be unintentionally harmed when a so-called toy gun is mistaken for a real gun, and a officer’s split second decision could be compromised due to confusing over whether a gun is toy or real or resident could call dispatch to report seeing a real gun when in fact it was fake.”
The second amendment presented by Commissioner John O Connor asks that first time violations of drawing a fake gun change from an automatic misdemeanor to a civil infraction of $500 dollars.
“This would allow officers to use their discretion and leverage a significant fine for certain scenarios as a strong warning and if the situation warranted further punishment the individual could be charged with a misdemeanor.”
The new weapon ordinance was approved with both of these amendments and it will go into effect on April 1 of next year.
Michelle Jokisch Polo, WGVU News.
