Morristown to consider park carry ban

[Tim Nunan]

Buried on page 6 of the 14 July 2009 Citizen Tribune ran an article that begins: “If city officials get their way, Morristown will join the growing number of Tennessee municipalities who have opted out of a new law that allows individuals with handgun carry permits to go armed in city parks.” Curiously this same “newspaper” thought the same issue for Danridge rated being on page one and above the fold in Monday’s edition.

It reports that the Morristown Parks and Recreation Department Board is scheduled to vote on the matter on August 13th and notes that the vote can only be a recommendation since the Board does not set policy.

Morristown Mayor Sami Barile, parks director Craig Price and Police Chief Roger Overholt all show their hoplophobia in their reported comments.

Over 2127 Handgun Carry permits have been issue to Hamblen County residents. It would be prudent to remind Morristown City Council members that few of them win election by more than a few hundred votes; can they afford to insult the law abiding gun owners in their districts?

There are several examples of letters to various local governments on the TFA forums which can be used to help you express your thoughts to the Morristown City Council members.

[Tim Nunan]

This is to remind everyone that the Morristown Parks and Recreation Department is scheduled to address the park carry bill and vote on a recommendation at their August 13 2009 meeting, 5:30 PM at the address below. Their recommendation will then be passed to the city council which will make the final decision.

If you can't make the meeting please contact both the Morristown Parks and Recreation Department as well as the individual members of the Morristown city council and tell them we don't need more safe zones for criminals.




Parks and Recreation Department
Morristown Parks and Recreation
415 West Louise Avenue
Morristown, Tennessee 37813
Phone # (423) 586-0260--Fax # (423) 318-1544
To contact any city department: http://www.mymorristown.com/contact.php
Director Craig Price

Morristown City Council
http://www.mymorristown.com/council.php

William Rooney
Claude Jinks
Bob Garrett
Kay Senter
Frank McGuffin
Gene Brooks

[Tim Nunan]

Seven of the 11 committee members made a quorum and the meeting started at 5:43 PM.
Representing local gun owners were Mike Freeman, Karen Nunan and myself.

The committee allowed us to speak on the park carry issue. They were very receptive towards our comments and asked several questions.

Commissioner Ed 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 6-1. We may have had a small influence but it looked like Sempkowski had that motion prepared prior to the meeting. He was angry that the city council tried to push the issue to this committee of "unelected" members to make a recommendation. The motion was definitely pro-Second Amendment in tone.

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 (noon) today 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.