Anyone up for OCing at the next Ellwood City PA City Council meeting?

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See http://www.ncnewsonline.com/local/local_story_218110027.html

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I would, but it's 304 miles from me. Hopefully some people closer will make it there.

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I was trying to find out how long he's been in office, and it's his first term. Apparently he's not getting along with a lot of the gov' there:
http://www.zwire.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=18471855&BRD=2724&PAG=461&dept_id=563781&rfi=8

http://www.zwire.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=18479668&BRD=2724&PAG=461&dept_id=563781&rfi=8

http://www.zwire.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=18491062&BRD=2724&PAG=461&dept_id=563781&rfi=8

Hrm. Definitely an ordinance which carrys no weight thanks to their preemption, but I have a feeling this is a lot more political than just that he carries a gun.

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That's a haul for me too.
Here is more discussion
http://www.pafoa.org/forum/news-123/8284-ellwood-city-pa-bans-firearms-bourough-building.html

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Looks like there's a pissing contest going on between the borough council and the borough mayor. Unfortunately, the borough council may have chosen the wrong way to "chastise" the mayor with its proposed gun ordinance.

Gee, the mayor doesn't get along with the borough council? Sounds like our American system of checks and balances. Next we'll insist that our governor get along with our state legislature, or our president get along with congress? It would be nice, but....

Concerning internal Ellwood City matters I cannot comment, but their proposed ordinance affects all Pennsylvanians, and on that I've already commented.

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What, does "Small Town Official Monthly" have an article this month called "How to Destroy the Constitution in 5 Easy Steps"?

http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/forum46/3504.html

Guess its the cool thing to do...

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Government works best when everybody hates each other, oddly enough.

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Ellwood City Council follows OCDO advice, repeals gun carry ban!

http://www.ncnewsonline.com/archivesearch/local_story_233101710.html

SNIP

Council had received letters from the National Rifle Association as well as a group that advocates carrying weapons openly, which is legal, pressuring the board to reconsider its action.

See also:


http://www.ncnewsonline.com/local/local_story_232093114.html

NEW LOCAL: Council plans to repeal gun ban on borough property

By MaryAlice Meli
New Castle News

Tonight, Ellwood City Council plans to repeal the ban enacted last month on carrying guns into borough buildings and vehicles.

The only exceptions were certified w enforcement officers.

“We’re going to repeal it,” Glenn Jones, council president, said last night.

“We can’t ban guns as I understand it,” noted vice president Tony Court last night. “It’s unconstitutional. We thought we could do it because they’re banned in the courthouse. I guess we may have overstepped our bounds; our stance is to back off a bit.”

Borough solicitor Edward Leymarie Jr. noted last week he supports council’s action, saying this is not a fight he would recommend council undertake.

Pressure on council to repeal its action came in a letter from the National Rifle Association and from a group that founded a Web site — OpenCarry.org — that advocates openly carrying guns.

In a 1996 opinion, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled in Ortiz v the Commonwealth that assault weapons bans enacted in ordinances in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh were not valid. Both are home-rule cities.

Chief Justice John P. Flaherty wrote that the General Assembly has said, “no cities, municipalities or townships may — in any manner — regulate the lawful ownership, possession, transfer or transportation of firearms, ammunition or ammunition components when carried or transported for purposes not prohibited by the laws of Pennsylvania.”

Flaherty held that the law extends to home-rule cities as well as all other municipalities in the state.

Michael Stollenwerk of Mountville, Pa., and John Pierce of Bristol, Va., are co-founders of OpenCarry.org, a Web site that advocates the legal right of ordinary citizens to carry weapons openly.

Stollenwerk noted it is legal for anyone over age 18 to openly carry guns in holsters on the hip in 44 U.S. states, including Pennsylvania. The only places excepted are schools, courthouses, state parks and the Capitol in Harrisburg.

It is illegal to carry guns only if the guns are concealed. Carrying a concealed weapon requires a permit.

The Web site notes this stems from the frontier days when many of those who wore concealed guns were up to no good.

Stollenwerk has been quoted in a Lancaster County newspaper as saying, “We shouldn’t have gun bans anywhere where there isn’t real security.”

Dom Viccari, Ellwood’s borough manager, said banning guns from the municipal building was a way to protect borough building employees, especially on days when the electric department must shut off non-paying customers. He noted today’s society is much less predictable and dangerous than in the past.

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Way to go Mike!!! It's good to know that your letter had an effect on this outcome.

By the way, did any of the members go to the meeting?

Keep up the good work.:celebrate

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I think they passed a new one...