Slightly off topic...
I actually went to the most recent lakewood city council meeting on the 5th which was held at building 3 of clover park tech. I open carried the entire time. I walked there from my best friend's place where I am living now and got there nice and early. I wasn't very sure where exactly the meeting would be held so I waved down a security guard to get specific information. At the end of getting directions, he noticed that I was carrying and asked me for my permit, to which I informed him that I did not need one as I was open carrying and a permit was only needed to carry concealed. He seemed a bit upset but ended up driving away.
I then went to have a seat at a table across the road from the building where I quietly listened to some music on my phone's MP3 player. A few minutes later, I noticed the security guard drive by again very slowly and then park at building 3. A couple minutes later, another security guard pulled up to the first one and I could see that they were talking. After a few more minutes, they both pulled across the street and into the parking lot close to where I was sitting. They both got out of their cars and came walking up to me. The new guy then told me that I could not carry on campus due to their "rules" unless I had a permit and it was concealed. I informed him as I did the first guy that I was under no obligation to have a permit and why. He asked me for my name to which I said "none of your business".
He asked me why I was there and I told him exactly why. I was there as a private citizen to attend the city council meeting and the campus rules did not apply to me. Since I happen to have been there to address the council regarding city ordinances regarding firearms in city parks, I happened to have paperwork including RCW 9.41.050 and I allowed the guard to read that particular law. He then called his boss to find out what he should do. After a short conversation with his boss, he came back over to me, handed me back my papers and said that I was good to go and to have a nice evening. He and his partner walked away only to walk back a minute later and ask me what the RCW was again so he could look it up for future reference. And mind you, I had been recording the entire exchange with my digital audio recorder.
Fast forward to the meeting...
As I said, I was there to address the council regarding city ordinances prohibiting the carrying of firearms in city parks unless you are a police officer or licenced to carry concealed. While there, I found out that the city is in the process of changing a certian law prohibiting the discharge of firearms within city limits and in fact, the owner of Welcher's Gun Shop is looking to purchase property in lakewood to build a new shop with attached indoor firing range. But due to current city laws, is unable to. The outcome of the meeting was that the portion of the laws prohibiting the discharge of firearms within city limits is being changed. Mr. Welcher informed me that hopefully by next summer at the latest, he should have his new store up and running with the firing range and he will be completely moving out of his current location at 64th and Pacific in tacoma.
