GRNC Alert 11-7-13: Town Council Poised to Violate State Law

• Today, call individual members of the Town Council (phone numbers below). 
  • Tell them that the Blowing Rock must comply with state law and pass the “Weapons on Town Property-Amendment” in the same form in which it was passed on its first reading.

  • Should restrictions be added to the ordinance, this will affect where you and other gun rights supporters spend your tourist dollars. Let them know that, if necessary, you will be spreading the word to 300,000 NC CHP-holders and countless other gun rights supporters, via social media, to avoid Blowing Rock.

  • Finally, warn them that falling out of compliance with state law is likely to bring about a costly legal battle with Grass Roots North Carolina, a battle that Blowing Rock cannot win, and one that you will gladly support.

• Today, e-mail the Town Council. Copy the Chamber of Commerce on the message, too. You’ll find the suggested message and e-mail addresses below.

• Tuesday, attend the Blowing Rock Town Council meeting. Get your “Guns Save Lives” sticker at the door from a GRNC volunteer. Meeting details:

CONTACT INFO

Phone numbers for the Blowing Rock Town Council members:

Alternatively, call the Blowing Rock Town Hall at:

(828) 295-5200

Call the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce at:

(828) 295-7851

Copy & Paste e-mail list for the Town Council:
jb_lawrence@ucbi.com; tklutz@charter.net; dtheboss@bellsouth.net; jfsteele88@att.net; phillips.dan22@gmail.com; albertyount@gmail.com; BRtownclerk@bellsouth.net

Copy the chamber of commerce: Info@blowingrock.com

DELIVER THIS MESSAGE

Suggested Subject: “No Unlawful Gun Bans in Blowing Rock Parks“

Dear Mayor Lawrence and Town Council Members:

I am troubled to learn that the “Weapons on Town Property-Amendment” (# 2013-12) is in jeopardy of being altered in a way that would put Blowing Rock out of compliance with state law. It would be unlawful for Blowing Rock to pass this ordinance if it were changed in a way that attempts to restrict concealed handgun permit-holders beyond what is allowed by G.S. 14-409.40 (“Statewide uniformity of local regulation”). If you are at all concerned with complying with the law, and protecting your citizens and visitors from violent crime, you will pass the proposed ordinance with the same language it contained when it passed the first reading.

It is important to note that the Town Council’s decision regarding passage of the proposed amendment, as passed on its first reading, will determine where my future tourist dollars are spent. Also, if the Town Council takes an anti-gun stance on this issue, I plan to spread the word about this via social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Yelp, TripAdvisor, and others. With this in mind, I hope the Town Council members will ask themselves how they’d like Blowing Rock to be portrayed to the state’s more than 300,000 CHP-holders, and countless other gun rights supporters.

Should it choose to violate G.S. 14-409.40, I also understand that Blowing Rock will be exposing itself to costly litigation from Grass Roots North Carolina. If it’s necessary, legal action is something that I would support, and if Blowing Rock is in violation of state law, it is surely a battle that it cannot win.

I will be monitoring the Town Council’s action on this issue via alerts from Grass Roots North Carolina.

Sincerely,