A Shelton Alderman has proposed creating “weapon-free zones” around all city-owned buildings, parks, open space and schools.
Aldermen Thursday (April 11) referred the proposal to its Ordinance Committee for a public hearing later this month.
Alderman Jack Finn said he did not propose the weapon-free zones ordinance in response to December’s shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, but in response to a gun safety class held at the Huntington Branch Library a few weeks prior to the Dec. 14 school shooting in Newtown.
Although the gun safety class was approved by the Library Board with an OK from the Shelton Police Department, Finn questions the appropriateness of the event.
He noted prior incidents in Shelton itself.
In 1988, the Board of Education maintenance supervisor and a custodian were shot to death at Elizabeth Shelton School before the gunman killed himself.
“I think it is about time that we address what’s going on in the world and in the nation,” Finn said.
He said research by the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities indicated that eight other Connecticut communities have passed similar ordinances, including Trumbull, Woodbridge and New Haven.
Ordinance Details
The weapon-free zone would apply to guns, bows, crossbows, BB guns or pellet guns, but not knives.
Police officers and security personnel would be exempt.
Violators could be assessed a $250 fine for each violation, and the ordinance would authorize the mayor to ban violators from city or school property in Shelton.
Although the ordinance doesn’t state it, Finn said accused violators could appeal to the city’s Public Appeals Board if they feel the charge is unfair.
“We’d have a measure in place in the event that something did happen in the city, and we’d hope we never had to use it,” Finn said.
Blizzard Cost
The cost for Shelton from this winter’s big blizzard keeps growing.
Aldermen voted Thursday to cover a $70,000 over-expenditure in the Department of Public Works overtime account resulting largely from cleanup after February’s blizzard.
Mayor Mark Lauretti told the Board of Aldermen that the overtime account was almost used up already prior to the storm.
In a follow-up interview, Lauretti said Shelton’s total cost for the storm is now just under $600,000, including the overtime expense.
He said the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is expected to cover part of the cost, but pre-application meetings with FEMA officials indicate that the agency will only provide about $120,000.
Lauretti said the city would submit its application for emergency storm reimbursement soon.
