Desertdog
Member
Geuda Springs City Council requiring all homes to be equipped with a firearm and ammu
Attorney looking at Geuda gun law
http://www.winfieldcourier.com/w031115/Thurs2.html
By KATHY KENDRICK, Arkansas City Traveler
GEUDA SPRINGS — The fate of an ordinance recently passed by the Geuda Springs City Council requiring all homes to be equipped with a firearm and ammunition is currently unknown, pending an investigation by Thomas Herlocker, City Attorney.
Council members with a three to two vote on Nov. 3 approved the ordinance. Council members Nathan Cook and Scott Ferguson voting against the proposition.
The law would require that all homes within the community be equipped with a gun. The ordinance states that, “In order to provide for emergency management of the city, every head of household residing in the city limits is required to maintain a firearm, together with ammunition.â€
The legality of the law is currently being looked into, and a report is expected to be given at the next meeting of the council on the first Monday in December.
“There’s really not much to tell about it right now,†Cook said Wednesday morning. “Everything has been turned over to our lawyer. It’s pretty much out of our hands. The attorney will look over everything and get back with us at our next meeting.â€
Cook said he has not received much feedback from the public on the issue.
“I think the majority of the people here don’t even know (the ordinance) went through or what it is about,†Cook said.
Herlocker said he is still looking into the matter and will receive help from the Kansas attorney general regarding the ordinance.
“I have a call in to the attorney general’s office,†Herlocker said Wednesday morning. “Somebody had faxed the information to the sheriff in Wellington, and he turned around and faxed it right to the attorney general. If he wouldn’t have done it, I would have. I have some concerns about the ordinance that I will address at the next regular meeting. I advised the city clerk and the mayor that it is not a good idea to publish the ordinance until the council gets another chance to discuss the issue.â€
Gerald Gilkey, Sumner County Sheriff, also expressed some concern over the proposed law.
“I obtained a copy of the ordinance and got a copy sent to the attorney general,†Gilkey said. “I think there are some loopholes in this, and I don’t know if there is any constitutionality to it. It is my understanding that the law has been passed by the city council, but it has not been published yet, so it really has not yet become law.â€
Gilkey said that he is not clear exactly on the reasons for the ordinance.
“The only reason I have heard for it is to show other towns that they are not afraid to possess guns,†Gilkey said. â€This causes some concern not only for the citizens, but also for law enforcement officers. When we take calls in a residential situation, it is already very intense, especially in domestic violence cases. Though we always assume the people have weapons, when we know that everyone has one, it throws up a red flag to us.â€
Several efforts were made to contact the Geuda Springs city clerk, but none of the calls had been returned as of press time.
The next scheduled meeting of the Geuda Springs City Council will be at 7 p.m. Dec. 1 at the city building, 117 South First St.
Attorney looking at Geuda gun law
http://www.winfieldcourier.com/w031115/Thurs2.html
By KATHY KENDRICK, Arkansas City Traveler
GEUDA SPRINGS — The fate of an ordinance recently passed by the Geuda Springs City Council requiring all homes to be equipped with a firearm and ammunition is currently unknown, pending an investigation by Thomas Herlocker, City Attorney.
Council members with a three to two vote on Nov. 3 approved the ordinance. Council members Nathan Cook and Scott Ferguson voting against the proposition.
The law would require that all homes within the community be equipped with a gun. The ordinance states that, “In order to provide for emergency management of the city, every head of household residing in the city limits is required to maintain a firearm, together with ammunition.â€
The legality of the law is currently being looked into, and a report is expected to be given at the next meeting of the council on the first Monday in December.
“There’s really not much to tell about it right now,†Cook said Wednesday morning. “Everything has been turned over to our lawyer. It’s pretty much out of our hands. The attorney will look over everything and get back with us at our next meeting.â€
Cook said he has not received much feedback from the public on the issue.
“I think the majority of the people here don’t even know (the ordinance) went through or what it is about,†Cook said.
Herlocker said he is still looking into the matter and will receive help from the Kansas attorney general regarding the ordinance.
“I have a call in to the attorney general’s office,†Herlocker said Wednesday morning. “Somebody had faxed the information to the sheriff in Wellington, and he turned around and faxed it right to the attorney general. If he wouldn’t have done it, I would have. I have some concerns about the ordinance that I will address at the next regular meeting. I advised the city clerk and the mayor that it is not a good idea to publish the ordinance until the council gets another chance to discuss the issue.â€
Gerald Gilkey, Sumner County Sheriff, also expressed some concern over the proposed law.
“I obtained a copy of the ordinance and got a copy sent to the attorney general,†Gilkey said. “I think there are some loopholes in this, and I don’t know if there is any constitutionality to it. It is my understanding that the law has been passed by the city council, but it has not been published yet, so it really has not yet become law.â€
Gilkey said that he is not clear exactly on the reasons for the ordinance.
“The only reason I have heard for it is to show other towns that they are not afraid to possess guns,†Gilkey said. â€This causes some concern not only for the citizens, but also for law enforcement officers. When we take calls in a residential situation, it is already very intense, especially in domestic violence cases. Though we always assume the people have weapons, when we know that everyone has one, it throws up a red flag to us.â€
Several efforts were made to contact the Geuda Springs city clerk, but none of the calls had been returned as of press time.
The next scheduled meeting of the Geuda Springs City Council will be at 7 p.m. Dec. 1 at the city building, 117 South First St.