Continuing with the theme of last city council meeting, last night’s meeting discussed the topic of guns.
City resident Laura Sanchez lobbied for city council to take some form of action against the state statute allowing guns in city parks.
“A public good that we care about is being taken away,” she said.
The idea of simply ignoring the state law was brought up by at-large council member Sandy Rowland. She said other city laws are in conflict with state laws and haven’t been changed.
At-large council member Robert McComber showed concern with this proposition. He said it could create problems for police officers trying to enforce the laws in that enforcing the city law could come into conflict with citizens who follow the state law.
“What’s a police officer supposed to do if they come across this issue?” McComber said. “I think one of the most important jobs [city council has] is … to put our professional employees in a place where they can be successful.”
First ward council member Daniel Gordon said a possible reason for keeping the ordinance is to uphold community values.
Although this could be a motive for keeping the city ordinance, at-large council member Bruce Jeffers did not agree with it. He said it seems to be clear to most that the city does not agree with the state statute, and it doesn’t need to take such an action to show it doesn’t.
“We don’t need to prove to people that we don’t support this,” he said. “We shouldn’t keep the ordinance to make a political point.”
McComber agreed and said the city could pass a resolution stating the city doesn’t agree with the statute.
Also at council:
•Mayor Edwards announced that city planning director Heather Saylor will be going to Montana to represent the city at a Not In Our Town conference. He said the city is known as a “gold star city.”
“This is a real feather in our city’s cap,” Edwards said.
•The city will be celebrating independence day July 3 west of the University football stadium. The event starts at 8 p.m. and fireworks will commence at dusk.
•Work will begin on sidewalks on the 100 block of South Summit Street, said Municipal Administrator John Fawcett.
•The Classics on Main Car Show will be hosted July 12, said Barbara Ruland, executive director of downtown.
