City plans guns-in-parks vote tonight

Thursday, August 13, 2009
By Brian Mosely

How will the Shelbyville City Council vote tonight on the guns in parks issue?

Citizens will find out at 6 p.m. at the Shelbyville Police Department's courtroom when the city council meets to vote on the issue.

The newly passed Public Chapter No. 428 authorizes citizens in Tennessee with handgun carry permits to be able to lawfully possess a firearm in federal, state or local parks.

However, cities also have the option of excluding their parks by passing a resolution, according to the University of Tennessee Municipal Technical Advisory Service, and many are already doing so.

The resolution would prohibit handguns in "public municipal parks, natural areas, historic parks, nature trails, campgrounds, forests, greenways, waterways or other similar places," it reads.

Bell Buckle did so earlier this week, while a proposal to opt out of the measure died in Wartrace recently when no one voted on the issue.

Tullahoma is also considering voting to be excluded from the measure. Winchester and Manchester have already banned guns in parks.

Bedford County Mayor Eugene Ray said the closest thing the county has to a park is a county-owned river access point, and the county hasn't had any discussions on the gun issue.

The new law goes into effect Sept. 1, and if Shelbyville chooses to enact the resolution, it would have to be done before that date.

Comments

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It is very simple. A vote to opt out is a vote for the criminal element. Who are they trying to protect? This issue only pertains to those of us that are not criminals. It sends the message that if you are an armed robber then Shelbyville is yet another safehaven for you to do your thing to people that will have no reasonable means to resist. Do you think the criminal element is for or against this opt out vote? So who do you side with?

-- Posted by T2 on Thu, Aug 13, 2009, at 11:37 AM

I just hope the city council uses reasoned logic instead of emotional hysterics when making their decision.

-- Posted by quietmike on Thu, Aug 13, 2009, at 3:10 PM

It seems to me, like many other things, this should be a vote by the people who live in Shelbyville not by a few who sit on the Council.

I guess I just don't like the idea of a few making decisions that effect so many.

It shouldn't be their decision to raise your electric bill even 9$ or ban guns in parks or require your child to wear certain things without a vote from the public. If the public wanted this and voted for it I would never say another word because it is the will of the majority not the will of a few who sit on a board.

-- Posted by Dianatn on Thu, Aug 13, 2009, at 5:14 PM