The City Wants to Pass its own Gun Laws

[Bronco-Fan]

Jim ,Rick and Jim must think they are the Earp Brothers in the year 2006, What a trio.. oh by the way Jim,Rick and Jimmy S what about North 14th street having not been mention since Ricky baby got into office. Rick It isn't Christmas time now, what is your excuse Oh yeah our city staff needs more time, or are we waiting on news from another Consultant.. KDOT don't have nothing to do with either. LOL.. I know I know look at the mess we have on Wyatt Earp dirt way. don't want the same on 14th st. B.Sh.t I think it's a power play by the Earp Brothers Rick you dress like you are wanting to win an Oscar LOL..

[Value Pack]

Dodge City Globe of Feb 20, 2007
City urged to leave Kansas' concealed-carry law alone

Dodge City should not tack additional restrictions onto Kansas' concealed-carry law, several people told the Dodge City Commission on Monday.

"With all due respect, we ask you again tonight, please do not fix what is not broken," said Dodge City resident Lowell Brakey, who represented a group of people who took a concealed-carry class at his shooting range last fall. "Let's take Dodge City out of the newspaper headlines and let this end here tonight, and send a message that Dodge City is not lacking in common sense."

The commission asked people for comments on a proposed ordinance banning concealed weapons at all city-owned buildings, facilities and parks but did not decide whether to adopt it. The ordinance would not apply to city streets and sidewalks.
Additionally, people would not be permitted to carry weapons openly on city-owned property.

Kansas' concealed-carry law already prohibits concealed weapons in several public places, including law enforcement offices, city halls, public meetings of governing bodies and school- and university-sponsored events unrelated to guns.

The law allows business owners who don't want people carrying concealed weapons on their premises to post signs to that effect, and some people contend that provision applies to local government as well.

Dodge City Clerk Nannette Pogue told the Globe last week that the League of Kansas Municipalities has determined that state law allows cities to ban concealed weapons at other public places. She added that Dodge City's ordinance is designed to clarify state law and list other places where people are barred from carrying hidden weapons, which would give the city the ability to prosecute any violations in municipal court.

Some people said Monday that they thought the city should refrain from meddling with Kansas' law – or at least adopt an ordinance that reflects state law without adding to it.

"If you mirror the state law and post buildings where you don't want concealed carry, all of us that have a concealed-carry permit will obey that law," said Dodge City resident David Laneer, who holds a permit but has not yet carried a hidden weapon. "And those that don't have a concealed-carry permit and don't care, it doesn't matter how many laws you pass."

Mayor Jim Sherer noted that the commission is still studying the ordinance and has not yet decided whether to adopt it.
"We were presented a draft ordinance to start the discussion, and it's just the idea that we have to examine all aspects of any situation that we've got," he said.

Commissioner Jim Lembright said he did not think the commission wants to impose additional restrictions on concealed-carry permit holders.

"I'm not so sure it didn't get blown out of proportion at the last meeting – but we still want to hear what you all have to say," he said.

Dodge City resident David Salisbury disagreed with the supporters of concealed carry, saying he wished the city could outlaw concealed weapons altogether.

"I'm just opposed to concealed carry from the get-go," he said.

I got to go to this meeting and where Lowell Brakey had all the facts and research down solid, Dodge City resident David Salisbury (aka Sgt. Dave Salisbury of the Dodge City Police Department) did not. This is how the Sgt. “feels”.

I got the “feeling” (excuse my use of the word) that Chief Ball and Sgt. Salisbury did not expect that many people. The Police were not prepared. Chief Ball may have asked Sgt. Dave Salisbury to speak. Ball is being very quiet. The Sergeant did not put any work into the effort and without any facts or research to support his words, did very little to move the City Commission. A total of six people (?) spoke on the issue. More would have spoke but they ran out of time. 5 spoke for not doing anything and 1 for doing a lot more (Sgt. Salisbury).

[Highwayman]

The Sergeant did not put any work into the effort and without any facts or research to support his words, did very little to move the City Commission.

I would like to see what, if anything, he could come up with in the way of facts to support his words.

[Value Pack]

Gun ordinance may have seemed like a good idea at the time, but... By Jesse Truesdale, Reporter

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Bonner Springs City Manager Jack Helin may have believed a common-sense-sounding ordinance he brought to the City Council would meet with little discussion Monday night. The ordinance in question was meant, he told the Council in its workshop session before the regular meeting, to close gaps left open in the state's concealed-carry handgun bill which became effective Jan 1.

The law allows citizens who have passed a background check, taken an eight-hour training course and paid a fee to carry concealed handguns. The law specifies that concealed handguns would not be allowed in schools, libraries, churches and City Hall buildings.

The ordinance crafted with the help of Dan Trent, assistant city attorney, would prohibit weapons -- not only handguns, but "non-powder-propelling weapons" and Tasers, among others -- from being carried in city parks and buildings.

What Helin hadn't contended with in assuming a breezy passage of the ordinance were the libertarian leanings and the skepticism of some Council members.

"I see this," Rory Kuhn said, "and I think what about Opie with his slingshot?"

Helin then read the Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights, stressing its first four words, "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

Everyone forgets the "well-regulated militia" part when quoting the Second Amendment, Helin said.

Council member Jeff Harrington said he was concerned women wouldn't be able to carry pepper spray at while running on city trails.

"There's also the issue of knowing there are people carrying" guns, Kuhn said, which he said deters crime.

"If I follow your line of reasoning," Helin offered, "we should arm everyone."

Mayor Clausie Smith tossed in an educational digression, saying Dodge City had passed the first gun control law. (What a 100 years ago or are they referring to what was tabled?

The discussion went on without resolution until the regular meeting began.

When the item came up for public discussion, Bonner Springs resident Bob Stoneking argued against the ordinance, saying the Kansas Legislature was considering bills that, if passed, could render the handgun provisions of the proposed ordinance void.

"Why spend taxpayers' money?" Stoneking asked, when the ordinance might just end up nullified.

Stoneking didn't explain how the ordinance would cost taxpayers' money.

Still, enough Council members -- four out of six -- were convinced to wait that a motion was approved to table the ordinance until the Legislature decides on Senate Bill 185 and House Bill 2528.

Both bills would limit the ability of cities and counties to regulate conceal-carry handguns beyond what the state law already has in effect. Of the two, the House bill is much lengthier and much more restrictive of cities' powers to ban guns on their property.

Bonner Springs Police Chief John Haley said he opposed the House bill, which is scheduled for a committee hearing today.

"I would certainly share the opinion that the Kansas Association of Chiefs have," Haley said. "They're lobbying against that particular passage," which forbids cities from regulating concealed handgun possession.

The police chiefs union, Haley said, believes "that to limit the cities' authority to define areas where carry-conceal is prohibited would certainly limit cities' authority to provide to provide safe places for citizens.

"I would think there are certain places where, in individual cities, we just don't want individuals carrying," Haley said.

Haley said he hadn't seen any incidents involving conceal-carry handguns since the law took effect.

Assistant city attorney and city prosecutor Dan Trent said after looking at HB 2528, "the House bill is much more restrictive. They're simply trying to say the state has occupied the field as to concealed carry," and that cities and counties can't regulate concealed carry in any way, Trent said.

"I think it's overly broad. We can't do any zoning or transportation" regulations, he said. "I'm a little troubled by the language ... What it's saying is the state is pre-empting regulation of concealed carry handguns," and if a place isn't listed in the statute, "you can carry, period."

That passage in the House bill, Trent said, is "really troubling to me because it takes out the language of public employer," in the Senate version, which would allow cities to prohibit their employees from packing heat.

Still, Trent said he wasn't worried because, he figures, "it's not going to be either of the two bills" that will pass. In order for either to pass, he reasoned, there will have to be some kind of compromise.

The fickleness of the Legislature is another reason for Trent's peace of mind.

"Until the Legislature decides what do, they'll change their mind five times," Trent said.

"My attitude is, when April rolls around and the Legislature is out of session, then we'll look and see what changes have been made."

Until then, there's not much he can do about the issue, he said.

Still, Trent said, it's probably a good thing the Council voted against the ordinance on its agenda Monday night, because if the Council had passed it, and then the Legislature were to pass a bill resembling HB 2528, the ordinance "would be null and void and it would be a waste of time."

That's not counting, of course, the time spent in deciding not to pass the ordinance.

[Detector]

What I find interesting is that it seems the vast majority of police officers are against CC. I could understand if there was a lot of evidence showing it to be a bad thing, but all I've seen is the opposite.

Are they upset because citizens feel they aren't being protected by the police and need to protect themselves? Are they worried that it will put more guns on the street? I could see that IF there was evidence to back this up. It almost seems as if their mindset is you can't trust anyone.

So far I've seen nothing but evidence that CC lowers crime in that area so where is the problem?

[Value Pack]

Bill would prohibit local concealed-gun regulations BY DION LEFLER
Eagle Topeka bureau

TOPEKA - A Sedgwick County state senator defended a bill to pre-empt local gun ordinances at a House committee hearing Thursday.

Sen. Phil Journey, R-Haysville, told a largely sympathetic Federal and State Affairs Committee that cities and counties had gone too far in regulating gun carrying by concealed-weapons permit holders.

"The permit holder from Johnson County won't know what the rules are when they go to Dodge City or Wichita," Journey said.

One permit holder from Johnson County, Rep. Judy Morrison, R-Shawnee, agreed wholeheartedly.

She said she'd want her $150 permit fee back if the bill at issue, House Bill 2528, doesn't pass.

"I've worked really hard to get my right to carry," she said, waving her permit. "It seems to me what is happening is the cities are trying to usurp the law that we passed."

The bill follows up on legislation passed last year that requires the state to issue concealed-weapons permits to anyone who pays the fee, completes a safety class and passes criminal-record and mental-health background checks.

Rep. Judy Loganbill, D-Wichita, pressed supporters over whether the bill would take away homeowners' right to ban guns from their property.

"I'd have to let someone in my house who's packing heat," Loganbill said.

Journey disputed that.

"Nothing in this bill is going to change your private-property rights," he said. "You can tell everyone who comes on your property 'If you got a gun, you gotta leave.' "

[lurker]

The Hutchinson News, Hutchinson, Kan., | Regional News

I liked this town much better when we had a Mayor and Counsel members who decided what laws needed action. Now it appears that we have puppets dancing to the twitches of a city manager.

DODGE CITY - The city manager here is recommending that city officials let die a controversial ordinance proposal that adds to the list of city-owned sites where concealed guns may not be carried.

Instead, Jeff Pederson's new plan calls on city commissioners to.......

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City staffers last month proposed a city ordinance that would have .........

[Bubba]

When did the Mayor ever have any REAL power in Dodge City? As far back as I can remember Dodge City has always had the type of city government where the City Manager has called the shots and the Mayor was just a symbolic figurehead at city council meetings.

[K C Muffin]

My thought is that you're paying your City Manager some big bucks to do a job. Especially an experienced one. So, let him do his job. The mayor is a figure-head but represents popular vote. It gives him a little more credibility, but in no way does it put him in a position of calling the shots for the City. I would say that decisions ought to be the product of multiple discussions between the mayor, CM and city council. That doesn't seem to be happening, huh?

[Bubba]

I have no idea. I was just responding to lurkers comment about the city mayor. As long as I can remember, Dodge City has had a City Manager form of government.