Morristown Parks & Rec committee defers to city council

[Tim Nunan]

Seven of the 11 committee members made a quorum and the meeting started at 5:43 PM, 13 August 2009.

Commissioner Sempkowski seemed perturbed that the city council had put this issue in the Parks & Recreation Committee and proposed a motion that stated the importance of the Second Amendment and moved that the issue be returned to the city council for a decision by "elected officials". This motion was approved.

Dr. William Rooney, a city council member and member of the P & R committee, opined several times that the city council would not even address the park carry bill thus allowing carry in Morristown parks effective 1 September 2009. Dr. Rooney noted that city council agenda items had to be submitted by 12 PM 13 August 2009 to be considered in next Tuesday's council meeting (4 PM, 18 August 2009). Since the city council meets the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month the park carry issue could not be addressed by the council until after the law's effective date unless this issue had been submitted by noon today.. Of course it should be remembered that a community may opted out at any time, i.e., they are not restricted to action prior to the effective date of 1 Sept., 2009.