response from Chattanooga City Council on parks carry

[cadillacdude1975]

in a nut shell, i emailed about 10 people today, including the Mayor, the entire Chatt City Council, and about 5 people from the local NBC and ABC stations. the email basically laid out the plain text of HR 218, and that states that off duty and retired LEO are restricted to the laws of regular citizens when it comes to legally carrying a firearm. i also informed them that if they go ahead with the ban on the legal carry in the local parks, then all off duty officers and retired officers will be violating the law just as if one of us fellow HCP holders were to carry away in a posted area.

here is one response so far. i sent the emails this morning, about 8am eastern and have only gotten back one response.

Dear Mr. Bodenbender:

We will take up guns in parks shortly, and I would welcome your public input. I would like you to know that I personally have enjoyed shooting sports, and also respect our right to self defense.

I think you should also know that guns have been forbidden in our City Parks for years and any action taken to affirm that situation, should that be the outcome as a result of the change in state legislation, presents no change of status.

Please appear to make any factual points you feel we should consider in this matter at either the council meeting when the matter is taken up, or, at any Tuesday regular council meeting in the time devoted to public remarks on matters not on the agenda that evening. The council has not taken any final or legally binding action on this matter, and I know that all council members myself included, always wish to engage in fact finding prior to legislating.

When this matter is taken up, we will have witnesses from the parks department, the police department, park rangers, and I am sure, many individual citizens.

Thank you for taking your time to be civicly engaged. I also appreciate your concern for public safety.

Best regards,

Peter B. Murphy

so in a nut shell, the premature reports of carrying in local parks already being banned are false, at least that is what his response tells me. i am about to mail him back and ask when this issue will be dealt with, as if you all noticed, he failed to disclose that information. typical politician.

edit: while he is correct in saying that guns have been banned for years, that is because state law was written that way. now, out of all the parks that are posted around here, like the TN Riverpark (improperly posted) but i think that was a moot point when state law was against carrying anyway, how many are properly posted? anyone have an idea?

Edited July 1, 2009 by cadillacdude1975

[cadillacdude1975]

his response to me asking when it will come up for discussion:

I do not know at present. It may be Tuesday the 7th or the 13th. It will be discussed and testimony taken at the Legal and Legislative Committee hearing that I chair. Those meetings typically start at about 3:15 pm. The full council meeting is at 6 pm every Tuesday evening.

The Chattanoogan usually has our agenda posted Friday. I do not know when the matter will be before us as our counsel has not seen a final copy of the actual bill signed by the Gov. Bredesen.

Best regards,

Peter B. Murphy