Commissioners Approve County As 2nd Amendment Sanctuary
April 28, 2021 at 12:18 a.m.
Commissioners Approve County As 2nd Amendment Sanctuary
By Amanda Bridgman-
In the ordinance, it states the county shall not comply with, assist or use any personnel or financial resources to enforce, administer or cooperate with any law that violates the Second Amendment or Article I, Section 32 of the United States Constitution.
“Any law that eliminates, reduces, represses, diminishes or subverts the rights of any law-abiding citizen to keep and bear any arms, ammunition, magazines, parts or accessories of arms in any mount, size, form, capacity or function that is legal as of Jan. 1, 2021, shall be presumed to be a violation of the Second Amendment and Article I, Section 32, unless and until such time as it is rightfully and legally determined, without further right of appeal, to be otherwise by the Indiana Appellate Court, Indiana Supreme Court, the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court of the United States,” the ordinance reads. “The county supports and advocates that Indiana become a Second Amendment Sanctuary State and hereby directs the county attorney to prepare a letter to the state representatives and senators for the county in support and advocacy as such.”
County attorney Ed Ormsby said Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma and Montana are some examples of states that have passed Second Amendment sanctuary status.
“And down in Indianapolis, our Statehouse did adopt a resolution that could be considered as such, it was just a resolution not law yet because it was late for the session,” Ormsby said. “What we have here is the best of those laws.”
Commissioners President Bob Conley said, “We have taken a stand as commissioners to represent the people of this county. We fully understand there may be repercussions ... and that’s OK, so I’m proud to be a part of that and thank Mr. Ormsby for drawing that up for us.”
Sheriff Kyle Dukes then addressed the crowd present at the commissioners meeting and said it’s an honor to be the sheriff.
“Something that I believe in 100% is that I work for you. And I want to thank you for supporting law enforcement in Kosciusko County. Thank you. I get positive messages every week, every week from great people,” Dukes said. “I’m a Second Amendment sheriff. I’ve said it in private, and I’m saying it in public. I took the oath of office, and I take that very seriously. I want to be very clear – very clear – on a couple things. The Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office will not support or assist on any kind of gun buyback programs. Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office, we will not be knocking on your door and taking your guns. Will not. In my opinion, the federal government needs to come together at the same table and let’s start having serious conversations about mental health like we are here in Kosciusko County.”
“Thank you for taking a stand,” Commissioner Brad Jackson said. “I think it’s sad in a way that the oath we all took when we took the office to uphold the Constitution, we have to reaffirm that, and it should just be automatic.”
In other matters, County Administrator Marsha McSherry said the county has received word it will be receiving $15 million from the American Rescue Plan.
An ordinance to establish the coronavirus local fiscal recovery fund was unanimously approved.
The ordinance to create the fund is required, and guidance will come from the federal government as to how that $15 million can be spent.
“I’m concerned about this. I think it’s bankrupting our country,” Jackson said to nods of agreement from fellow commissioners. “We might as well take it, but ...”
“Grant money is nothing more than money that the government has collected from local taxpayers or you and I, and they’ve got it set in Washington or Indianapolis, and they decide at some time that they’re going to give some of that back to us,” Conley said. “But I’m not sure this $15 million is tax money they’ve already collected. ... They’re spending money we don’t have, and I echo Brad’s concerns. ... We’re trying to be real popular from the federal level and it is gonna bankrupt our children and grandchildren.”
“We’ve set up a committee for this,” Commissioner Cary Groninger said. “This county is going to take very seriously (how the money is spent) and have very strict guidelines on what we can spend it for. We’re waiting on additional guidelines. So we will make sure to use it wisely.”
“And we’re going to keep an eye on it, too, to see if there’s any strings attached,” Jackson said, noting that the county could choose to not accept it if they don’t like the terms.
Also Tuesday, the Commissioners:
• Approved Dukes’ request to apply for a $223,000 grant that would help purchase new Dell computers for police vehicles at KCSO and other local police departments like Syracuse, North Webster and Milford.
Dukes said if they get the grant, it would save the county about $100,000.
• Declared May as motorcycle safety month at the request of Jerry Ganger with ABATE (American Bikers Aimed Toward Education). Conley urged motorists to “look once for a car, twice for a motorcycle.”
The next Kosciusko County Commissioners meeting is 9 a.m. May 11 at the old courthouse.
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In the ordinance, it states the county shall not comply with, assist or use any personnel or financial resources to enforce, administer or cooperate with any law that violates the Second Amendment or Article I, Section 32 of the United States Constitution.
“Any law that eliminates, reduces, represses, diminishes or subverts the rights of any law-abiding citizen to keep and bear any arms, ammunition, magazines, parts or accessories of arms in any mount, size, form, capacity or function that is legal as of Jan. 1, 2021, shall be presumed to be a violation of the Second Amendment and Article I, Section 32, unless and until such time as it is rightfully and legally determined, without further right of appeal, to be otherwise by the Indiana Appellate Court, Indiana Supreme Court, the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court of the United States,” the ordinance reads. “The county supports and advocates that Indiana become a Second Amendment Sanctuary State and hereby directs the county attorney to prepare a letter to the state representatives and senators for the county in support and advocacy as such.”
County attorney Ed Ormsby said Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma and Montana are some examples of states that have passed Second Amendment sanctuary status.
“And down in Indianapolis, our Statehouse did adopt a resolution that could be considered as such, it was just a resolution not law yet because it was late for the session,” Ormsby said. “What we have here is the best of those laws.”
Commissioners President Bob Conley said, “We have taken a stand as commissioners to represent the people of this county. We fully understand there may be repercussions ... and that’s OK, so I’m proud to be a part of that and thank Mr. Ormsby for drawing that up for us.”
Sheriff Kyle Dukes then addressed the crowd present at the commissioners meeting and said it’s an honor to be the sheriff.
“Something that I believe in 100% is that I work for you. And I want to thank you for supporting law enforcement in Kosciusko County. Thank you. I get positive messages every week, every week from great people,” Dukes said. “I’m a Second Amendment sheriff. I’ve said it in private, and I’m saying it in public. I took the oath of office, and I take that very seriously. I want to be very clear – very clear – on a couple things. The Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office will not support or assist on any kind of gun buyback programs. Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office, we will not be knocking on your door and taking your guns. Will not. In my opinion, the federal government needs to come together at the same table and let’s start having serious conversations about mental health like we are here in Kosciusko County.”
“Thank you for taking a stand,” Commissioner Brad Jackson said. “I think it’s sad in a way that the oath we all took when we took the office to uphold the Constitution, we have to reaffirm that, and it should just be automatic.”
In other matters, County Administrator Marsha McSherry said the county has received word it will be receiving $15 million from the American Rescue Plan.
An ordinance to establish the coronavirus local fiscal recovery fund was unanimously approved.
The ordinance to create the fund is required, and guidance will come from the federal government as to how that $15 million can be spent.
“I’m concerned about this. I think it’s bankrupting our country,” Jackson said to nods of agreement from fellow commissioners. “We might as well take it, but ...”
“Grant money is nothing more than money that the government has collected from local taxpayers or you and I, and they’ve got it set in Washington or Indianapolis, and they decide at some time that they’re going to give some of that back to us,” Conley said. “But I’m not sure this $15 million is tax money they’ve already collected. ... They’re spending money we don’t have, and I echo Brad’s concerns. ... We’re trying to be real popular from the federal level and it is gonna bankrupt our children and grandchildren.”
“We’ve set up a committee for this,” Commissioner Cary Groninger said. “This county is going to take very seriously (how the money is spent) and have very strict guidelines on what we can spend it for. We’re waiting on additional guidelines. So we will make sure to use it wisely.”
“And we’re going to keep an eye on it, too, to see if there’s any strings attached,” Jackson said, noting that the county could choose to not accept it if they don’t like the terms.
Also Tuesday, the Commissioners:
• Approved Dukes’ request to apply for a $223,000 grant that would help purchase new Dell computers for police vehicles at KCSO and other local police departments like Syracuse, North Webster and Milford.
Dukes said if they get the grant, it would save the county about $100,000.
• Declared May as motorcycle safety month at the request of Jerry Ganger with ABATE (American Bikers Aimed Toward Education). Conley urged motorists to “look once for a car, twice for a motorcycle.”
The next Kosciusko County Commissioners meeting is 9 a.m. May 11 at the old courthouse.
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