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UPDATE 14 DEC 08:
CORRECTION: The correct date for the next West Mifflin Borough Council meeting at which citizens may attend to oppose proposed policies is Tuesday, December 16th.
Apparently the target date for metal detector installation is on or before the **January** 20th Council Meeting.
This provides time for gun owners around the Commonwealth to mobilize to attend this January 20th meeting and speak out against these privacy invading and unlawful gun control proposals.
It also perhaps gives time for West Mifflin to cancel their order for the metal detector.
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Will anyone be around to attend this Dec. 20th meeting and perhaps make the metal detector go off??
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http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08346/934173-55.stm
Metal detector to be installed at West Mifflin council chambers
Thursday, December 11, 2008
By Mary Niederberger, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
In the new year, those who attend West Mifflin council meetings will have to pass through a metal detector to enter council chambers.
West Mifflin council last month unanimously approved a motion authorizing borough Manager Howard Bednar to buy a metal detector and have it installed at one of the two entrances to council chambers. The other entrance will likely be locked, borough officials said.
Mr. Bednar said he knew of no other suburban council in the area that requires people to pass through a metal detector to attend a meeting.
"It's something that may get a lot of publicity," Mr. Bednar said.
He said no incidents of violence have occurred at borough council meetings and that council is acting proactively on the matter.
Council Vice President Arlene Jabbour said council has been talking about getting a metal detector for the past two years.
"It just seems like it's time for us to do something because how the world is now, anything can happen," Mrs. Jabbour said. "Safety is first for council and residents who come here."
Mr. Bednar said police Chief Joseph Popovich is checking with Allegheny County officials to learn the guidelines for using the metal detector in the County Courthouse.
Mr. Bednar said xthe walk-through metal detector in West Mifflin will be portable and will be placed at the entrance to council chambers when meetings are held and removed when the meetings are over.
The machine will be staffed by a borough police officer.
Mr. Bednar said council has not yet decided if it also will purchase a metal-detecting wand in addition to the walk-through detector.
A wand, he said, could be used by the officer for a further examination of a person who sets off the walk-through dectector's alarm.
The borough manager expects council to make that decision at next week's meeting in addition to decisions about where the detector will be placed and what procedures will be followed in using it.
The metal detector could be in place for the Jan. 20 council meeting, he said
Mr. Bednar also said the school board could use the metal detector because the board meets in the same chambers.
Mr. Bednar and Mrs. Jabbour said they expect some people who have artificial joints may set off the detector's alarm.
"I have two knees that have been replaced," Mrs. Jabbour said. "I get beeped at airports all of the time and get pulled aside. I carry a card that explains everything."
Mr. Bednar said people who have a permit to carry a gun still will be required to leave their weapons outside of council chambers.
"We are not saying you cannot have a gun, but we are saying you can't have it in this assembly here. I think we do have the right to say this is our meeting and you cannot bring a gun in here," Mr. Bednar said.
Mrs. Jabbour said council's decision to buy the metal detector has nothing to do with allegations that West Mifflin resident Diane Stanesic threatened Councilwoman Rhonda Popovich.
In October, Glassport Magisterial District Judge Edward Burnett ordered Mrs. Stanesic to have no contact with Mrs. Popovich after the councilwoman filed harassment and terroristic threat charges against Ms. Stanesic.
The judge told Mrs. Stanesic that she could continue to attend West Mifflin council meetings but could not address Mrs. Popovich directly.
Mrs. Popovich said that Mrs. Stanesic left threatening phone messages at the Popovich home. The councilwoman said the messages were left after a council discussion about the police department and after a private council session in which Mrs. Stanesic was discussed as one of five candidates for a seat on the sewer authority.
Mrs. Jabbour has also said she received a nasty phone call from Mrs. Stanesic.
Mrs. Stanesic's attorney, Victor Pribanic, has said his client's phone calls were not harassment but were "legitimate communication."
The legal case against Ms. Stanesic has been continued until Tuesday when Judge Burnett asked the parties involved to reconvene. In the meantime, police Chief Edward Popovich, Mrs. Popovich's husband, has been providing police escorts into and out of council meetings for his wife and Mrs. Jabbour.
Mrs. Jabbour said Mrs. Stanesic continues to attend council meetings.
Mary Niederberger can be reached at mniederberger@post-gazette.com or 412-851-1512.
First published on December 11, 2008 at 12:00 am
UPDATE 14 DEC 08:
CORRECTION: The correct date for the next West Mifflin Borough Council meeting at which citizens may attend to oppose proposed policies is Tuesday, December 16th.
Apparently the target date for metal detector installation is on or before the **January** 20th Council Meeting.
This provides time for gun owners around the Commonwealth to mobilize to attend this January 20th meeting and speak out against these privacy invading and unlawful gun control proposals.
It also perhaps gives time for West Mifflin to cancel their order for the metal detector.
----
Will anyone be around to attend this Dec. 20th meeting and perhaps make the metal detector go off??
-----
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08346/934173-55.stm
Metal detector to be installed at West Mifflin council chambers
Thursday, December 11, 2008
By Mary Niederberger, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
In the new year, those who attend West Mifflin council meetings will have to pass through a metal detector to enter council chambers.
West Mifflin council last month unanimously approved a motion authorizing borough Manager Howard Bednar to buy a metal detector and have it installed at one of the two entrances to council chambers. The other entrance will likely be locked, borough officials said.
Mr. Bednar said he knew of no other suburban council in the area that requires people to pass through a metal detector to attend a meeting.
"It's something that may get a lot of publicity," Mr. Bednar said.
He said no incidents of violence have occurred at borough council meetings and that council is acting proactively on the matter.
Council Vice President Arlene Jabbour said council has been talking about getting a metal detector for the past two years.
"It just seems like it's time for us to do something because how the world is now, anything can happen," Mrs. Jabbour said. "Safety is first for council and residents who come here."
Mr. Bednar said police Chief Joseph Popovich is checking with Allegheny County officials to learn the guidelines for using the metal detector in the County Courthouse.
Mr. Bednar said xthe walk-through metal detector in West Mifflin will be portable and will be placed at the entrance to council chambers when meetings are held and removed when the meetings are over.
The machine will be staffed by a borough police officer.
Mr. Bednar said council has not yet decided if it also will purchase a metal-detecting wand in addition to the walk-through detector.
A wand, he said, could be used by the officer for a further examination of a person who sets off the walk-through dectector's alarm.
The borough manager expects council to make that decision at next week's meeting in addition to decisions about where the detector will be placed and what procedures will be followed in using it.
The metal detector could be in place for the Jan. 20 council meeting, he said
Mr. Bednar also said the school board could use the metal detector because the board meets in the same chambers.
Mr. Bednar and Mrs. Jabbour said they expect some people who have artificial joints may set off the detector's alarm.
"I have two knees that have been replaced," Mrs. Jabbour said. "I get beeped at airports all of the time and get pulled aside. I carry a card that explains everything."
Mr. Bednar said people who have a permit to carry a gun still will be required to leave their weapons outside of council chambers.
"We are not saying you cannot have a gun, but we are saying you can't have it in this assembly here. I think we do have the right to say this is our meeting and you cannot bring a gun in here," Mr. Bednar said.
Mrs. Jabbour said council's decision to buy the metal detector has nothing to do with allegations that West Mifflin resident Diane Stanesic threatened Councilwoman Rhonda Popovich.
In October, Glassport Magisterial District Judge Edward Burnett ordered Mrs. Stanesic to have no contact with Mrs. Popovich after the councilwoman filed harassment and terroristic threat charges against Ms. Stanesic.
The judge told Mrs. Stanesic that she could continue to attend West Mifflin council meetings but could not address Mrs. Popovich directly.
Mrs. Popovich said that Mrs. Stanesic left threatening phone messages at the Popovich home. The councilwoman said the messages were left after a council discussion about the police department and after a private council session in which Mrs. Stanesic was discussed as one of five candidates for a seat on the sewer authority.
Mrs. Jabbour has also said she received a nasty phone call from Mrs. Stanesic.
Mrs. Stanesic's attorney, Victor Pribanic, has said his client's phone calls were not harassment but were "legitimate communication."
The legal case against Ms. Stanesic has been continued until Tuesday when Judge Burnett asked the parties involved to reconvene. In the meantime, police Chief Edward Popovich, Mrs. Popovich's husband, has been providing police escorts into and out of council meetings for his wife and Mrs. Jabbour.
Mrs. Jabbour said Mrs. Stanesic continues to attend council meetings.
Mary Niederberger can be reached at mniederberger@post-gazette.com or 412-851-1512.
First published on December 11, 2008 at 12:00 am
