Councilman Speedy and the right to carry on waterworks property

[paddling_man]

I recall the dburkhead thread to the city council (indy.) I don't think this has been posted yet.

WTHR - Indianapolis News Weather -Councilor pushes for guns on Water Works property

Indianapolis - A new proposal could put guns in places where they haven't been legal in 38 years. On Monday the City-County Council considers an ordinance meant to protect the rights of gun owners, but critics call it bad public policy as it would allow some people to carry guns along the canal.
Right now guns are prohibited on any water works property including Geist Reservoir, the general office building and the central canal towpath. Republican councilor Mike Speedy wants to change that, allowing licensed gun-owners to carry a handgun on all water works property.
"Retired police officers and others who carry a gun legally want to walk the canals or be in boats with a weapon for personal protection," said Speedy.
There have not been any incidents prompting Speedy's move, but "it's about clarifying the rights of law-abiding citizens to possess a handgun."

"We're concerned about allowing people to carry handguns on our property," said Jo Lynn Garing, Water Works spokesperson.
Garing says Water Works should have final say especially since it leases the towpath to Indy Parks and Indy Parks also bans firearms on its property.
"We do see it as a security concern," Garing said.
So does Democratic councilor Angela Mansfield.
"There's no need to bring weapons into the park system and into a public facility," said Mansfield.

Mansfield says weapons aren't allowed in say the City-County Building or at Health and Hospital, so why here? Speedy says it's different.
"As a byway or waterway, people should enjoy the same freedoms on that property as any other right of way," said Speedy.
There were a series of attacks along the Monon last year, but Speedy says this proposal deals strictly with Water Works property. That wouldn't include the Monon Trail.
"It's not in our proposal, but I think if people ask..." Speedy said, suggesting that he may be open to expanding the proposal.

 

[Pami]

Is this a "hint hint nudge nudge" moment??

There were a series of attacks along the Monon last year, but Speedy says this proposal deals strictly with Water Works property. That wouldn't include the Monon Trail.
"It's not in our proposal, but I think if people ask..." Speedy said, suggesting that he may be open to expanding the proposal.

 

[Dogman]

Is Water Works city owned, state owned or private property?

 

[Hoosier8]

I know Angela as an acquaintance. I haven't talked to her in awhile. I should try and call her. I would bet she has no familiarity with firearms, at least it sounds like it to me.

 

[Hoosier8]

Council names and contact info:

Councillor Biographies

 

[HICKMAN]

sounds like we as a group should get behind Mr Speedy.

 

[paddling_man]

Agreed! A trip to a council meeting, after a request for a place on the agenda, might a great idea!

The City Council meetings tend be very receptive to constituent presence - at least in other cities where I've lived.

 

[ian2000gsxr]

so it is illegal to carry while walking the canal downtown? if so that makes no sense and this ordinance needs to pass.

 

[Lawguns]

This article is not really accurate. First off it was only 3 years Ago that they city council ruled that guns could not be carried on Geist. Before that people used to hunt on Geist for Ducks and Goose. The policy was reviewed and it was decided that the water works could refuse to let people hunt there since it was their property.
As for who owns the water works that is a whole question in its self.
Correct me if I am wrong but I think the city owns it and the Management contract is owned by Veolia.
When I was at the last city county council meeting that discussed guns and gun shooting they very specifically said that it is city property (IE the water company) and they could make the rules there.
I think this goes in direct violation of the Indiana constitution that says we have the right to bear arms for personal protection.

I will not be able to make the meeting, however if someone feels the need to speak they might mention that Public Safety Director Carl Brizzi lives on the canal downtown and felt the need last 4th of July to call for a riot control squad to quell fighting on the canal. Furthermore he did require extra foot patrols (2 officers at all times) to walk the canal downtown during the summer because of the problems there.

 

[4sarge]

Repost from Closed Thread

Indiana: Indianapolis City-County Council to Meet Monday Night to Hear Right-to-Carry Reform Proposal!

Friday, January 23, 2009

Please Attend Monday's Hearing!

On Monday, January 26, at 7 p.m. the Indianapolis City-County Council will hold a meeting to hear Proposal 605. Initiated by Councilor Mike Speedy, Proposal 605 would amend the department of waterworks possession and firearm discharge prohibition codes to exempt those with valid CCW permits and those who discharge a firearm in self-defense. Under existing codes, it is unlawful to possess or discharge any firearms on any reservoir or property owned, leased, or controlled by the department of waterworks in Marion County.


The City-County Council will begin their meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday, January 26 in the Assembly Room of the City-County Building.


The meeting is not open to public comment, however Councilor Speedy will give a presentation and will ask those concerned citizens in the audience to stand in support of these amendments to the waterworks prohibition codes.


The meeting will be held at in room 241 of the City-County Building located at 200 E. Washington St. in Indianapolis. Please plan to attend this meeting and stand up in support of our Second Amendment rights!It would send them a very powerful message if that meeting was PACKED with INGO members who support our rights. Silence from our membership will also be taken as lack of support. We want to show our strength and support for this proposal and let the anti-gunner see exactly how strong the pro-gun, pro-self defense community really is when it counts.


__________________

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Visit my Antique Snowcat, political, gun & general discussions

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-- Dick Anthony Heller, 3/18/08 on the steps of the SCOTUS after leaving the Heller v DC Gun Ban hearing.​

 

[abnk]

Not open to public comment, huh? I guess they saw what happened a couple of years ago when Mansfield proposed that ridiculous restriction. 200+ people attended in opposition and not a single one in favor.

Why aren't more members posting here?

 

[4sarge]

Not open to public comment, huh? I guess they saw what happened a couple of years ago when Mansfield proposed that ridiculous restriction. 200+ people attended in opposition and not a single one in favor.

Why aren't more members posting here?

Scary huh ......

 

[Pami]

Bump. And PS, I added it to the calendar.

Is anyone planning on attending?

 

[Hoosier8]

I probably will.

 

[melensdad]

Why aren't more members posting here?

Scary huh ......

Well one of the suggestions that has been made a couple times is that we should have an INDIANA specific ACTION ALERT thread exactly for topics like this one. The problem with threads like this one, especially when titled like this one is titled, they do not attract attention and they get 'lost' within the political forums.

This was made worse when the second thread that posted the NRA announcement was closed. Even if the moderator who closes such threads provides a link to this thread the reality is that once a thread is closed it falls farther down the activity list making it even less likely to be seen by other members.

Bump. And PS, I added it to the calendar.

As a moderator at 2 forums, one smaller than INGO and one larger, I can tell you that very few members even know the calendar function exists, and fewer yet actually use the calendar function. While it is good to add it, it will not garner much attention because if you look at the statistics of hits to the calendar you will see that there are very few people using it. (as a moderator you may or may not have access to that data depending on the admin settings and data sharing he provides).

JUST a suggestion, but if you remove all the BIRTHDAYS from the calendar you will remove all sorts of clutter that makes it very difficult to find any "real" event. In fact if you remove the birthdays you will notice the calendar is virtually empty. Typically less than a handful of events are actually posted on the calendar. Perhaps because there is so much clutter on the calendar that it is visually unusable?

 

[pudly]

I'll be there with my shiny, new INGO hat. Possibly a number of such hats in the room will get the attention of others who've received the NRA alert and attract some new INGO members.

 

[SirRealism]

"There's no need to bring weapons into the park system and into a public facility," said Mansfield.

I know I'm preaching to the choir, but I can't allow such tripe to stand uncorrected. Here is what she meant to say:

"There's no need to allow law-abiding citizens to bring weapons into the park system and into a public facility owned by those same law-abiding citizens," said Mansfield. "We'd rather allow only those who flout our laws have the ability to protect themselves."

 

[Pami]

As a moderator at 2 forums, one smaller than INGO and one larger, I can tell you that very few members even know the calendar function exists, and fewer yet actually use the calendar function. While it is good to add it, it will not garner much attention because if you look at the statistics of hits to the calendar you will see that there are very few people using it. (as a moderator you may or may not have access to that data depending on the admin settings and data sharing he provides).

JUST a suggestion, but if you remove all the BIRTHDAYS from the calendar you will remove all sorts of clutter that makes it very difficult to find any "real" event. In fact if you remove the birthdays you will notice the calendar is virtually empty. Typically less than a handful of events are actually posted on the calendar. Perhaps because there is so much clutter on the calendar that it is visually unusable?

Thank you for the suggestions, Melensdad. These are issues that only Fenway can address. However, at the bottom of the home page, the calendar events (not birthdays) for the next 180 days are listed, and the events are usually discussed in great detail in (usually several) threads leading up to and after the events.

ETA: and thanks to Fenway, the birthdays have been cleared from the Calendar view.

 

[paddling_man]

I'm going to try and be there. It all depends on work load Monday.

 

[ian2000gsxr]

i'm pretty sure i'm goin to attend.