Thu
Aug 20 2009
07:16 am
Blount County bans guns in parks
By: bizgrrl

According to an article in The [Maryville] Daily Times, guns in Blount County parks are banned because:

... all Blount County parks are overseen by the Parks and Recreation Commission, which is jointly funded by Blount County, Alcoa and Maryville, the ban is already in effect because the two cities have already voted to opt out.

The agenda item to opt-out of guns in parks will be removed and the Blount County Commission will not address the issue.

Wonderful!

Topics:
Mello's picture

cue the AG

Submitted by Mello on Thu, 2009/08/20 - 7:30am.

MTAS and CTAS have both advised the cities and counties that the law requires all the affected legislative bodies to pass the ban. All is a wee bit different than 'majority' of those bodies.

Cue the AG and watch for a special called meeting later this month.

R. Neal's picture

Also, the KNS's crack Blount

Submitted by R. Neal on Thu, 2009/08/20 - 10:59am.

Also, the KNS's crack Blount County reporter has a story on the front page saying it will be on tonight's agenda.

Mello's picture

In regards to pulling it off

Submitted by Mello on Thu, 2009/08/20 - 11:04am.

In regards to pulling it off the agenda- I don't think they can pull it without voting to remove it. They changed the Commission "Workshop" to be the "Agenda" Meeting. Then again, this commission sets dates and then randomly changes them so it will be a very interesting evening. Augh.

Mello's picture

Take your gun to the Park day now set

Submitted by Mello on Thu, 2009/08/20 - 11:18pm.

(link...)

Watch closely because Blount County's refusal to even vote on the ban will probably cause the bans in Alcoa and Maryville to fall to the wayside.

Alcoa can say " we tried.."

Maryville can say "we tried.."

Blount County Commission says "we can't find which end to wipe."

bizgrrl's picture

Blount County Commission

Submitted by bizgrrl on Fri, 2009/08/21 - 5:26am.

Blount County Commission says "we can't find which end to wipe."

The County Commission might not know which end to wipe, but I'm thinking the County Mayor knows exactly what he is doing. Of course, I'm probably giving him too much credit.

I thought something like this would happen. Blount County government is just about evil, like the evil empire. With the current people is power, this county is going back in time. There is no understanding of progress, except to progressively fill every inch with good ole boys trying to make a quick buck.

I don't know how Blount County's lack of vote could affect Alcoa or Maryville's position.

Nobody's picture

LOL

Submitted by Nobody (not verified) on Fri, 2009/08/21 - 8:04am.

haha, mark one for Blount County government finally a governing body who will listen to the people. THANK YOU Blount County government for not voting on this stupid "op out" sh*t. Now the cities of Alcoa and Maryville need to repeal their decision. wait for it...wait for it...

Mello's picture

Quoting MTAS-

Submitted by Mello on Fri, 2009/08/21 - 7:46am.

MTAS

In the case of parks jointly owned or operated by two or more municipalities or counties, every governing body must adopt a resolution to effect the prohibition.

CTAS states the same thing. Blount County, Alcoa and Maryville set up Parks and Rec Commission to jointly operate all the parks. That was back around 1969.

If you see a way around meeting the "every governing body must adopt to effect the prohibition" please explain that to me.

bizgrrl's picture

Gotcha.

Submitted by bizgrrl on Fri, 2009/08/21 - 7:53am.

Gotcha.

bizgrrl's picture

I guess now we have to

Submitted by bizgrrl on Fri, 2009/08/21 - 9:40am.

I guess now we have to figure out who in local Blount County government is the most incompetent, the mayor, county commission members, or the county mayor's attorney.

Jerry Cunningham, 8/20/2009 MDT:

"Guns are already illegal based on the majority vote of Maryville and Alcoa," County Mayor Jerry Cunningham said."... Maryville and Alcoa have already opted out of that thing. That constitutes the majority. It just takes a majority where they are jointly operated. The ban is in effect."

Jerry Cunningham, 8/21/2009 MDT:

People with handgun permits will be allowed to take their weapons into county parks starting Sept. 1 after conflicting legal advice led the Blount County Commission to postpone a decision on opting out of the new law.

"That's what the law says," County Mayor Jerry Cunningham said Thursday.

Rod Goddard, attorney for the county mayor, 8/20/2009 MDT:

Rob Goddard, attorney for the county mayor, said that Public Chapter 428 contains language that enables the ban with the votes by the cities.

Rod Goddard, attorney for the county mayor, 8/21/2009 MDT:

"I assumed that the resolution passed by the cities of Maryville and Alcoa was broad enough to encompass the parks jointly operated by the city of Maryville, the city of Alcoa and Blount County," Goddard wrote

County Commission members, except maybe for Mike Lewis:
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.............

Mello's picture

No defense for Lewis

Submitted by Mello on Fri, 2009/08/21 - 11:15am.

He had it pulled last night.

Mello's picture

Update, still no ban in Blount County Parks

Submitted by Mello on Wed, 2009/09/09 - 8:27am.

Last night at the "Agenda" Workshop the BC Commission voted not to send Lewis' bill to the full commission for consideration.

No word from the county/city schools on how they will deal with this.
No word from the cities on whether their bans will stay in place or not.

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