Reedsburg Repeals Ban On Open Carry

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Thought I'd post this an an example of what a simple email can do. I emailedan alderman earlier this year and the city council got rid of their preempted ordinance. Here is the revised form:

(O) Safe use and transportation of firearms and bows (167.31) (Rev. 06-22-09)
(2) FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION; DISCHARGE, POSSESSION AND SALE
(A) Discharging and Carrying of Firearms. No person except a sheriff, police officer or other
law officer shall fire or discharge any firearm, rifle, spring gun, air gun, or pneumatic
pellet gun of any description within the City of Reedsburg. (Rev. 06-22-09)

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So, if you have some laws you want changed a little work can go a long way.

This didn't cause a big stir and basically flew under the radar. I don't think it even made the local paper but I admit I haven't been really paying attention to that.

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Thank you. Please describe the details where resides the devil. I know of no due process that makes an alderman sufficient to revise an ordinance.

How'd he get the ordinance amendment on the agenda. If it "flew under the radar" then did it violate Wisc. Stat. Ch. 19 GENERAL DUTIES OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS notice requirements? IIRC an ordinance/amendment requires exceptional posting and maybe even a public hearing.

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Doug Huffman wrote:

Thank you. Please describe the details where resides the devil. I know of no due process that makes an alderman sufficient to revise an ordinance.

How'd he get the ordinance amendment on the agenda. If it "flew under the radar" then did it violate Wisc. Stat. Ch. 19 GENERAL DUTIES OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS notice requirements? IIRC an ordinance/amendment requires exceptional posting and maybe even a public hearing.

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I emailed the alderman stating that their ordinance was not in compliance with state law.

Here are the emails:

Insert name of cool person here,

I brought it to the police chiefs attention. He will be contacting the city's attorney and ordinance committee. We will hopefully get this ordinance cleaned up. Thanks ,
Alderperson

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Hi Insert name of alderperson here,
I was wondering if you were aware thatReedsburg has a preempted ordinance on the books prohibiting people from openly carrying firearms. The ordinance is in Chapter 9 under "orderly conduct" and reads; in part:


(2) FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION; DISCHARGE, POSSESSION AND SALE
(A) Discharging and Carrying of Firearms. No person except a sheriff, police officer or other
law officer shall fire or discharge any firearm, rifle, spring gun, air gun, or pneumatic
pellet gun of any description within Reedsburg,or have any firearm, rifle,
spring gun, air gun, or pneumatic pellet gun in his possession or under his control within
Reedsburgunless it is unloaded and knocked down or enclosed within a
carrying case or other suitable container.

Although the part of the ordinance dealing with discharge is not preempted and perfectly legal according to Wisconsin State Statute 66.0409, thesecond part in bold "shall have no legal effect and is unenforceable". I would like to see what we can do about getting this ordinance changed in Reedsburg.
Thanks,
Awesomely cool person
Some address inmy city

http://www.legis.state.wi.us/statutes/Stat0066.pdf
​

[Statute was below, snipped for room]

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Cool Person,

No the Police Chief will not be enforcing it.

Alderperson

Alderperson,
Thanks, Iappreciate you taking the time to look into this for me. If it wouldn't be too much troubleit would begreatif you could give me any updates after you hear.
Thanks again,
Cool Person

P.S.I gather that the Police Chief doesn't plan on attempting to enforcethis then. Correct?​

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The common council voted to send it to the ordinance commitee. They then worked on it in the ordinance commitee and brought it up in the council meeting for public hearing. I was in attendence for the hearings. I spoke for it and no one spoke against it.

I said it "flew under the radar" because no one but me and the aldermanseemed to give a rats backside whether it passed or not. One of the other aldermen voted nay because of something I didn't catch, but it was because he thought the new regulations were too strict dealing with possesion of pellet gun pellets or something or other.


The meetings and hearings were posted publically.

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Great work - this is what it takes - maintaining contact with elected officials and asking them to repeal these illegal gun bans.

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Hmmmm. who is this "cool person?" :lol:

Just kidding. Great Job Brass!

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What great news! Now to bring that down here to Sauk/Prairie! You know I'll stand with you.

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Interestingly they don't have the "in the line of duty" language in there. So I guess a perk of being a cop in Reedsburg is the freedom to pop squirrels off your back porch with a BB gun on your day off.

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Jewish Woman with a Gun wrote:

What great news! Now to bring that down here to Sauk/Prairie! You know I'll stand with you.

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Well, do you have a gun-friendly alderperson or board member to contact? If you don't it'll be a little harder. Seems to me though, if the police chief and city attorney can be convinced the ordinance is unenforceable, they would bring it up to the council.

If they don't agree you could just have an open carry picnic in your back yard and metaphorically flip them the bird. :celebrate

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Hello Brass,

I've been thinking about your idea. Our 'cop shop' is defiant in their illegal opinion.

I'm not keen on having an OC picnic in MY backyard. (It's a security issue.)

HOWEVER! I have thought of an impromptu "get-together" at a local park on a Sunday afternoon.

If such an event could be "planned" it would be limited to HOLSTERED HAND-GUNS only, no long guns.

What d'ya think?

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Jewish Woman with a Gun wrote:

Hello Brass,

I've been thinking about your idea. Our 'cop shop' is defiant in their illegal opinion.

I'm not keen on having an OC picnic in MY backyard. (It's a security issue.)

HOWEVER! I have thought of an impromptu "get-together" at a local park on a Sunday afternoon.

If such an event could be "planned" it would be limited to HOLSTERED HAND-GUNS only, no long guns.

What d'ya think?

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Your invited to my Back yard OC bARBQ THIS Sunday, lots of food, fun.700 block of parkview road, Ashwaubenon, WI look for the Big Blaze Orange OC BARBQ sign on the garage door. I am not worried about "security" issues here, Everyones gonna be armed.:lol:

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So sorry

Sounds great but we have family plans.

I'm considering an event at a park in Sauk/Prairie, at the end of Sept / early Oct. Hopefully there won't be much competition for the park. I'm checking into it.

I'll keep you posted.

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Jewish Woman with a Gun wrote:

So sorry

Sounds great but we have family plans.

I'm considering an event at a park in Sauk/Prairie, at the end of Sept / early Oct. Hopefully there won't be much competition for the park. I'm checking into it.

I'll keep you posted.

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That would be great, Thanks !!

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Jewish Woman with a Gun wrote:

Hello Brass,

I've been thinking about your idea. Our 'cop shop' is defiant in their illegal opinion.

I'm not keen on having an OC picnic in MY backyard. (It's a security issue.)

HOWEVER! I have thought of an impromptu "get-together" at a local park on a Sunday afternoon.

If such an event could be "planned" it would be limited to HOLSTERED HAND-GUNS only, no long guns.

What d'ya think?

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I missed you!!!

I would love for you to do this. My wife and I would come for sure. And with out any question, your "party" your rules. I have no problem with that at all (if I throw an OC party, I will have the same rule on long guns). Please let us all know if you can pull this off this year. I am sure you will have all the help you might need.