Leflore County is moving closer toward banning guns in its parks, although it’s not clear yet if a proposed resolution would affect concealed carry permit holders with extra certification.
The Board of Supervisors instructed Board Attorney Joyce Chiles on Monday to write a resolution for consideration at its next meeting in two weeks.
Chiles said the resolution would say no “unauthorized firearms” would be allowed in parks. Signs would be posted at each park informing visitors of the rule.
Sheriff Ricky Banks, who had requested the resolution because of shootings at parks, mentioned a 2011 state law that allows concealed weapon permit holders to carry their weapons in parks and other places previously banned if they get additional certification.
That law opens up carrying concealed weapons in parks, courthouses, polling places, schools, establishments where alcohol is sold and churches. The endorsement needed to carry a gun in those places requires eight extra hours of training beyond what’s needed for a normal concealed carry permit.
Chiles said this morning that she will get clarification from the state Attorney General’s Office about whether the county’s resolution would apply to people who have the extra certification.
She said she believes the intent of the Board of Supervisors is that it doesn’t want weapons on county property, whether the person has a permit or not. But she said she needs to clarify if that would be legal in light of the expanded concealed carry law that Banks brought up Monday.
She said it seems “way out there” to allow carrying firearms at the courthouse and schools and hopes restrictions can be placed.
On July 2, the board had voted to have Chiles look into an ordinance, but she said Monday that the board could enact the ban through a resolution, which has a simpler approval process.
The proposal comes at a time of several changes to Mississippi’s gun laws.
Two new pro-gun laws took effect in the state on July 1.
One recognizes concealed carry permits from other states, and the other, called the “Honesty in Purchasing Firearms Act,” makes it a felony to try to persuade a gun seller to illegally sell you a weapon. It doesn’t apply to law enforcement officers. The National Rifle Association said in a press release that the law is intended to prevent “non-law enforcement sting operations aimed at harassing licensed firearms dealers during gun shows.”
Also, a June 14 opinion from the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office states that concealed weapons must be totally covered up. The NRA said that opinion could be used to charge someone who accidentally displays his or her firearm. It said it’s reviewing the implications of the decision.
Also Monday:
• The board voted 4-0 to spend an estimated $116,000 to hire a contractor to overlay three roads in District 3. Those roads are Jones and Beatrice streets, which form the town square in Schlater, and County Road 145, which is near the former Florewood State Park.
Money to pay for the repairs will come from remaining funds in a 2010 bond issue.
Another option had been to use county forces to do the labor instead of a contractor, which would have cost an estimated $82,000.
Schlater Mayor Jason Colquett had written a letter to the board requesting the repairs be made before the Bikes, Blues and Bayous bicycling event on Aug. 4. Colquett wrote that the streets are in “dire need of paving” and asked that they be fixed so tourists would be encouraged to return to the event year after year.
District 3 Supervisor Anjuan Brown said he didn’t want to tie up county crews to fix the roads. However, Road Manager Jerry Smith said the county recently finished several jobs it was doing within the city of Greenwood and added that he thought the county could have done the work.
Supervisor Wayne Self argued that the county could have saved money by doing the work itself, but ultimately he decided to vote for hiring a contractor. But after the vote was taken, Self objected loudly to County Administrator Sam Abraham, saying he thought the motion only concerned the two Schlater streets, not County Road 145, too.
County crews will be doing small jobs, such as straightening up street signs and sweeping intersections, before Bikes, Blues and Bayous, Smith said.
• The board delayed approval of a $58,000 bill from Upchurch Plumbing for work on the new county maintenance facility because no company representatives were present to answer questions. The board also delayed action on a request for help from the county school district because no one was there from the schools. Supervisor Robert Moore said the board needs to be better at making sure groups making requests to the board send someone to the meeting.
nIn the absence of Supervisor Phil Wolfe, who had personally requested an attorney general’s opinions about qualifications of Election Commission candidate Bobbie Peoples, the board didn’t take up the issue.
• Contact Charlie Smith at 581-7235 or csmith@gwcommonwealth.com.
