Wartrace guns-in-parks ban dies without a vote

Almost 20 people showed up at the Monday night meeting of the Wartrace Board of Mayor and Aldermen -- and most left without having to say a word. They were there because of a proposed resolution that would ban handguns from city parks -- similar to resolutions that have been considered in several Tennessee municipalities since the state removed its prohibition on guns in parks.

Before House Bill 716 and Senate Bill 976 were passed, carrying weapons in municipally owned parks, playgrounds, centers and other buildings was a Class A misdemeanor. Since the law passed, it is permissible to carry guns in those places, but the law had an "opt-out" provision, allowing local governments to implement their own restrictions on handguns for those parks and playgrounds.

The resolution presented at the Wartrace meeting would have prohibited handguns in "public municipal parks, natural areas, historic parks, nature trials, campgrounds forests, greenways, waterways or other similar public places."

It would have -- but it didn't. The resolution died for the lack of a motion.

"I make a motion," said Alderman Ed Simpson, who organized the rally against the proposal. "I move we don't do it."

"You don't have to do that," said Mayor Don Gallagher. "If nobody makes a motion, it dies on the floor."

Wartrace resident Phillip Smith said he was happy with the outcome.

"This was a silent victory," he said. "Not only for our personal safety, but our Constitutional rights. I think our point was made just by our numbers."

The board then went on to debate the presence of speed bumps for several minutes, with Alderman Scott Claxton requesting the removal of some on Simms Street.

"They're too high," he said.

Gallagher suggested that before any speed bumps are added or removed, a survey should be taken of the people who live on that street so that the wishes of the majority are recognized.