Council OKs ordinance changes to allow gun range, fix KRS conflicts
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette
Wednesday, April 25, 2012, 10:45 a.m. — The Bardstown City Council passed first reading Tuesday night of an ordinance that revamps and updates Chapter 130 of the city’s book of ordinances.
Councilman Roland Williams, left, talks with Tom Donan, city attorney, during Tuesday's city council meeting. Click to enlarge.
City Attorney Tom Donan read over the revisions during the council meeting. The revisions include:
— changes to the city’s ordinance on concealed deadly weapons in city buildings so it conforms to KRS statutes;
— makes provisions to allow special event and demonstration shooting;
— provides regulations for indoor gun range and construction standards for same;
— changes fines that may be assessed to match the maximum $500 fine for a misdemeanor.
Mayor Bill Sheckles told the council that Larry Green, assistant city administrator, is continuing to go through the sections of city’s ordinances to update them to today’s standards.
The ordinance revisions met the approval of Shelby County resident Stephen McBride, who attended the meeting but did not speak. McBride has spent more than two years lobbying the mayor and council, urging them to change city ordinances on firearms and gun control to comply with current state law.
After McBride attended several council meetings last year to speak on the issue, Sheckles curtailed McBride from making further comments by requiring him to request permission in advance to speak at a council meeting.
McBride, speaking to the Gazette after the meeting, was pleased the changes to Chapter 130 also corrected the ordinance’s unlawful gun control measures.
“Two down, two to go,” McBride said, referring to changes in the revised ordinance chapter as well as the revision that are needed, which include Ordinance 91.07(b), which prohibits firearms of any type at Sympson Lake, and 92.11(b), which prohibits guns of any type in the city cemetery.
The ordinance will come back to the council at its next meeting on May 8, 2012, for second and final reading.
-30-
