- Sat Aug 27, 2011 2:13 pm
#352323
By KENN STARK
Times Correspondent
PARKSIDE - It was voted down last year and died a second death by way of a no-vote in August, but a group of determined residents just won't allow a controversial firearms ordinance rest in peace.
Requested by Parkside Police Chief John Egan to help address frequent complaints of backyard target practice at an East Roland Road home, the proposed measure would prohibit any use of firearms (including air guns and compound bows) within the borough, except in defense of person or property.
The law would also allow police to enter private property to confiscate weapons used in violation of the ordinance and provide stiff fines for repeat offenders.
The proposed ordinance was defeated by a 5-2 vote in September 2010, with only council President Shirley Purcival and Councilwoman Jackie File-Barlow in support.
The debate was resurrected by Purcival in May and has been a hot topic of discussion at every council meeting since. At council's Aug. 24 session, no second was made to a motion to adopt the firearms restriction, leading to the measure being tabled indefinitely.
The last two council meetings have featured frustrated neighbors questioning the opposition as to why they do not support the proposal, despite repeated urging from Egan. The responses have included the belief that a majority of residents do not want the new ordinance passed and claims that existing laws should be adequate to protect neighbors from the threat of stray projectiles.
East Roland Resident Tom Trout again raised the specter of the twice-defeated ordinance at council's Oct. 26 meeting, asking members of the opposition if and when the measure might be reintroduced for further consideration. Speaking on behalf of his neighbors, Trout said that fearful homeowners are "sick of waiting" for council to give borough police the tool they say they need to disarm backyard target shooters.
According to Trout, the perception among many residents is that "the hands of the police are tied" without the ability to enter private property.
Councilman William Howell, who has been the most outspoken member of the opposition, insisted, however, that existing reckless endangerment laws are sufficient to deal with the situation.
"We have a law, and if they're not being used, it's not my fault," Howell stated, essentially putting the onus on Egan.
Howell indicated that he is still "rehashing" the issue, and that the tabled ordinance or a revised version may indeed be reconsidered at a future date, but only after further research and discussion with Egan.
Trout asked when residents could expect to see some action on the now-dormant proposal, but Howell refused to set a timeline, insisting that he would not act on the firearms restriction "until I'm comfortable" with it.
Other neighbors, including Bill Cropper of East Avon Road and Nick Capobianco of East Roland, jumped into the fray again at Wednesday's council session, and tried to put the opposition's feet to the fire. But after a half hour of contentious exchanges, council Vice President Frank McCollum (another member of the opposition) gaveled the debate to a close and adjourned the meeting.
Egan did not speak during this latest round of debate, but was visibly irritated at the end of the night. When asked to verify statements made by Howell regarding existing laws, Egan's curt response was: "No comment. I'm done making comment on this!"
Times Correspondent
PARKSIDE - It was voted down last year and died a second death by way of a no-vote in August, but a group of determined residents just won't allow a controversial firearms ordinance rest in peace.
Requested by Parkside Police Chief John Egan to help address frequent complaints of backyard target practice at an East Roland Road home, the proposed measure would prohibit any use of firearms (including air guns and compound bows) within the borough, except in defense of person or property.
The law would also allow police to enter private property to confiscate weapons used in violation of the ordinance and provide stiff fines for repeat offenders.
The proposed ordinance was defeated by a 5-2 vote in September 2010, with only council President Shirley Purcival and Councilwoman Jackie File-Barlow in support.
The debate was resurrected by Purcival in May and has been a hot topic of discussion at every council meeting since. At council's Aug. 24 session, no second was made to a motion to adopt the firearms restriction, leading to the measure being tabled indefinitely.
The last two council meetings have featured frustrated neighbors questioning the opposition as to why they do not support the proposal, despite repeated urging from Egan. The responses have included the belief that a majority of residents do not want the new ordinance passed and claims that existing laws should be adequate to protect neighbors from the threat of stray projectiles.
East Roland Resident Tom Trout again raised the specter of the twice-defeated ordinance at council's Oct. 26 meeting, asking members of the opposition if and when the measure might be reintroduced for further consideration. Speaking on behalf of his neighbors, Trout said that fearful homeowners are "sick of waiting" for council to give borough police the tool they say they need to disarm backyard target shooters.
According to Trout, the perception among many residents is that "the hands of the police are tied" without the ability to enter private property.
Councilman William Howell, who has been the most outspoken member of the opposition, insisted, however, that existing reckless endangerment laws are sufficient to deal with the situation.
"We have a law, and if they're not being used, it's not my fault," Howell stated, essentially putting the onus on Egan.
Howell indicated that he is still "rehashing" the issue, and that the tabled ordinance or a revised version may indeed be reconsidered at a future date, but only after further research and discussion with Egan.
Trout asked when residents could expect to see some action on the now-dormant proposal, but Howell refused to set a timeline, insisting that he would not act on the firearms restriction "until I'm comfortable" with it.
Other neighbors, including Bill Cropper of East Avon Road and Nick Capobianco of East Roland, jumped into the fray again at Wednesday's council session, and tried to put the opposition's feet to the fire. But after a half hour of contentious exchanges, council Vice President Frank McCollum (another member of the opposition) gaveled the debate to a close and adjourned the meeting.
Egan did not speak during this latest round of debate, but was visibly irritated at the end of the night. When asked to verify statements made by Howell regarding existing laws, Egan's curt response was: "No comment. I'm done making comment on this!"
Last edited by nick on Fri Oct 28, 2011 5:42 pm, edited 4 times in total.
