MONROE - The Monroe city code will now reflect a new state law that went into effect Nov. 1 permitting the carrying of concealed weapons, under a resolution the Common Council passed earlier this week.
The new wording inserts an exception, which is the state concealed carry permit, to the city's current code that disallows carrying concealed and dangerous weapons in the city and onto airport property.
The revision inserts the wording, "unless expressly authorized ... by a clearly preemptive state or federal law," to establish the exception to the city's restrictions of carrying concealed and dangerous weapons in the city and onto the airport property.
Four council members, Neal Hunter, Brooke Bauman, Charles Koch and Tyler Schultz, voted against the resolution that passed 6-4.
At the scheduled public hearing before the vote, two Monroe citizens, Larry Priewe and Don Byrne, spoke against the pending resolution and, more specifically, against a pending decision on posting a ban on carrying weapons in city buildings.
The Judiciary and Ordinance Review Committee voted 2 to 1 in November to have an ordinance drafted and, eventually, buildings posted, to prevent anyone from carrying weapons into public buildings. That decision came after reviewing results of a survey of city employees indicating they did not want concealed weapons in their work places. Committee member Tyler Schultz voted against the motion. Chairman Charles Koch did not vote. That ordinance has not yet been scheduled for review by the committee.
"I don't know why the employees are all worried about concealed carry...," Priewe said. "You don't have to worry about concealed carry permit holders - we've been checked out. I've been checked out by the F.B.I."
Priewe explained that the holder of a concealed carry weapons permit, issued by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, "is not obligated to be police" nor "to use a weapon like a policeman.
"It's for my own protection; that's why I have it," he added.
Priewe said banning weapons from public buildings by posting a sign is an invitation for unauthorized carriers to enter where nobody will be armed.
"If you post a sign, I believe, if anything like that happens, the city or owner is liable, because you didn't give me the right to protect myself," he added.
Byrne agreed with Priewe.
"How are you going to check if no guns are going through?" he asked.
State law prohibits the carrying of a concealed weapon in certain government places, such as school and courtrooms, but not other public buildings, such as city halls. Restrictions into those buildings are left to the local governments to enact and enforce.
According to state law, to ban weapons in public buildings now, the city may post signs at all building entrances as a form of notification.
Green County Board of Supervisors has already established its restrictions for all county buildings, and notification have posted at entrances, as required by law.
The new wording inserts an exception, which is the state concealed carry permit, to the city's current code that disallows carrying concealed and dangerous weapons in the city and onto airport property.
The revision inserts the wording, "unless expressly authorized ... by a clearly preemptive state or federal law," to establish the exception to the city's restrictions of carrying concealed and dangerous weapons in the city and onto the airport property.
Four council members, Neal Hunter, Brooke Bauman, Charles Koch and Tyler Schultz, voted against the resolution that passed 6-4.
At the scheduled public hearing before the vote, two Monroe citizens, Larry Priewe and Don Byrne, spoke against the pending resolution and, more specifically, against a pending decision on posting a ban on carrying weapons in city buildings.
The Judiciary and Ordinance Review Committee voted 2 to 1 in November to have an ordinance drafted and, eventually, buildings posted, to prevent anyone from carrying weapons into public buildings. That decision came after reviewing results of a survey of city employees indicating they did not want concealed weapons in their work places. Committee member Tyler Schultz voted against the motion. Chairman Charles Koch did not vote. That ordinance has not yet been scheduled for review by the committee.
"I don't know why the employees are all worried about concealed carry...," Priewe said. "You don't have to worry about concealed carry permit holders - we've been checked out. I've been checked out by the F.B.I."
Priewe explained that the holder of a concealed carry weapons permit, issued by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, "is not obligated to be police" nor "to use a weapon like a policeman.
"It's for my own protection; that's why I have it," he added.
Priewe said banning weapons from public buildings by posting a sign is an invitation for unauthorized carriers to enter where nobody will be armed.
"If you post a sign, I believe, if anything like that happens, the city or owner is liable, because you didn't give me the right to protect myself," he added.
Byrne agreed with Priewe.
"How are you going to check if no guns are going through?" he asked.
State law prohibits the carrying of a concealed weapon in certain government places, such as school and courtrooms, but not other public buildings, such as city halls. Restrictions into those buildings are left to the local governments to enact and enforce.
According to state law, to ban weapons in public buildings now, the city may post signs at all building entrances as a form of notification.
Green County Board of Supervisors has already established its restrictions for all county buildings, and notification have posted at entrances, as required by law.