Does anyone happen to know when any of these elected officials are up for re election? I am all for sending anyone that runs against them some funds
2015 is the short answer.
The long answer is...The Town Council does not have staggered terms, and they are all up for reelection at the same time. This entire crew was elected in 2011, and are all up for reelection in 2015. There are 7 members, 2 at large and 5 from districts.
Anyone wanting to run won't file until January or February of 2015. Hopefully this will wake people up and get people interested in running.
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: RE: Proposed Ordinance
From:
<guy@relfordlaw.com>
Date: Tue, July 30, 2013 10:35 am
To: "jeff
papa" <jeffpapa@yahoo.com>, "Jeff Papa
(JPapa@zionsville-in.gov)"
<JPapa@zionsville-in.gov>, "Ed Mitro"
<emitro@zionsville-in.gov>,
"ehopper@zionsville-in.gov"
<ehopper@zionsville-in.gov>,
"tschuler@zionsville-in.gov"
<tschuler@zionsville-in.gov>, "Steve
Mundy" <smundy@zionsville-in.gov>,
"Susana Duarte de Suarez"
<sukoduarte@gmail.com>, "Tim Haak"
<thaak@zionsville-in.gov>,
"wdelong@zionsville-in.gov"
<wdelong@zionsville-in.gov>,
"kimberly.blanchet@btlaw.com"
<kimberly.blanchet@btlaw.com>
Cc:
"'Candace Ulmer'" <culmer@zionsville-in.gov>, "Ken
Campbell"
<KCampbell@co.boone.in.us>
Jeff - thank you very much for this update. I believe that it is a positive step for the Safety Board to consider this issue, primarily because it has always been my impression that the references to "public health" and "safety" in the proposed ordinance have been used rather disingenuously as a means to regulate what is really a very limited neighbor-relations issue.
Once the Board focuses on safety, I believe that it will become immediately apparent that the proposed ordinance constitutes an unnecessary restriction of the rights of the residents of the Rural Service District while doing absolutely nothing to protect the safety of their neighbors. As a certified firearms instructor, I can tell you that the proposed buffer of 150 yards is arbitrary and meaningless from a firearm safety perspective. Most of the smallest handguns on the market today can pose an immediate hazard to someone well beyond 150 yards away if they are used in an irresponsible way. On the other hand, the most powerful long-range rifles - accurate at distances over one mile - are entirely safe to someone only a few inches away from where they are fired if they are handled responsibly.
What makes the difference? Certainly not distance. Rather, direction of fire, the appropriateness of the target and the existence of an effective backstop will determine whether any particular shooting activity poses a threat to anyone else in the vicinity. Only with the complete absence of a backstop - natural or man-made - does distance determine risk, along with a myriad of other factors. In fact, because direction of fire is paramount in determining safety - as opposed to distance - the proposed ordinance would actually create more risk than it mitigates. Specifically, the ordinance would motivate some residents to shoot from the central interior of their property toward their neighbors' property - in order to achieve the 150-yard distance from the property line - as opposed to firing from the periphery of their property toward the center - which would be much safer for adjoining landowners.
In addition, if the focus of the proposed ordinance is truly on safety, the Safety Board should consider whether it would add anything to existing Indiana law. As I mentioned in an earlier email, the discharge of a firearm in a manner that creates even a risk of bodily injury to another person is immediately prosecutable as Criminal Recklessness with a Deadly Weapon, a Class D felony. Even pointing a loaded firearm at another person is punishable as Pointing a Firearm, another Class D Felony. (Even pointing an unloaded firearm at another person is a crime - Pointing a Firearm, a Class A Misdemeanor.) As a result, if any Zionsville resident fires - or even points - a firearm today so as to endanger another resident, they don't have to worry about a fine from the Town of Zionsville - they have to worry about going to prison. For these reasons, the proposed ordinance is absolutely unnecessary if the goal is really to promote and protect the physical well-being of Zionsville residents.
In summary, I think it should be instructive to the Board that Sheriff Ken Campbell and I - who combined have taught, published and lectured to promote firearm safety for several decades - both oppose this ordinance as unnecessary and unreasonable.
I look forward to attending the Town Council meeting on August 5 and the Safety Board hearing on August 26.
Thank you very much for your continued communication and consideration.
Guy
---------------
The Law Offices of Guy A. Relford
One South Rangeline Road
Suite 110
Carmel, IN 46032
(317) 844-4297
(317) 844-2036 (fax)
(317) 450-8252 (cell)
E-mail: guy@relfordlaw.com
www.relfordlaw.com
www.facebook.com/relfordlaw
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: Proposed
Ordinance
From: jeff papa <jeffpapa@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, July 29, 2013 1:41
pm
To: "guy@relfordlaw.com" <guy@relfordlaw.com>, "Jeff Papa
(JPapa@zionsville-in.gov)" <JPapa@zionsville-in.gov>, Ed Mitro
<emitro@zionsville-in.gov>, "ehopper@zionsville-in.gov"
<ehopper@zionsville-in.gov>, "tschuler@zionsville-in.gov"
<tschuler@zionsville-in.gov>, Steve Mundy <smundy@zionsville-in.gov>,
Susana Duarte de Suarez
<sukoduarte@gmail.com>, Tim Haak
<thaak@zionsville-in.gov>, "wdelong@zionsville-in.gov"
<wdelong@zionsville-in.gov>,
"kimberly.blanchet@btlaw.com"
<kimberly.blanchet@btlaw.com>
Cc: 'Candace Ulmer' <culmer@zionsville-in.gov>, Ken Campbell
<KCampbell@co.boone.in.us>, Jeff Papa <jeffpapa@yahoo.com>
Guy and Sheriff Campbell,I wanted to make sure you have the most recent information on this, including meeting dates - the two versions of a draft ordinance were placed in the council packet as a way to start a conversation about responding to the repeated constituent complaints from several longtime residents of the rural district. As I mentioned before, the council had not had a full discussion on this topic or decided on any particular action, but felt a responsibility to look into the ongoing inquiries and complaints. Our agenda meeting is the venue at which we meet to discuss what should or should not be on
the council agenda for the next meeting. At the agenda meeting this morning, it was decided that the best forum to hear this issue is the Zionsville Safety Board, and that the Safety Board make any recommendations to the full council for addressing the ongoing complaints - the recommendation will depend on what the safety board learns - it does not necessarily have to recommend an
ordinance. I do want to stress that no course of action has been decided on, but we do need to look into the complaints and related facts. As we agreed, both oridnance drafts raised many questions
and would have required many changes if moved forward.
The next meeting of the Safety Board will be on August 26 at 9 a.m. at Zionsville Town Hall, and of course, the public is welcome. We have removed the topic from the agenda for the full council meeting on August 5 so there will not be any action taken or extensive discussion at that meeting, but of course we do have the public speaking request segment of our agenda every action meeting. If the Safety Board makes recommendations, those would then be made to the full council, where further public input would be taken. Thanks
again for your input.
Jeff
WOW...Really ?
Sure wouldn`t want to make it convenient for those of us with Real jobs to be there, now would we ?
Be fore warned that the Council limits public input to three minutes at the podium. I've seen them let people go over that by a minute or two but anyone wising to speak before the Council should make it brief, clear, and concise.
EDITED TO ADD: Guy, I sure hope to see that response to Jeff Papa in the form of a letter to the editor in the local papers!
All of the TC meetings are on audio tape. I was able to find one instance where it was brought to the TC. Sorry, I don't have the time or desire to go through all of them!
Town of Zionsville » 7/2/2012 7:00PM ? Zionsville Town Council Meeting
Go to audio minutes, begin at 1:49:40.
I think landowners with ranges on their property should have to get permits and get inspected by the range Marshall. Your right to shoot on your property doesn't trump your neighbors right to not be shot by you.
Tell that to those here who believe government regulation is unnecessary until someone gets hurt. Too bad for the first one hurt I guess.
I hate to say this but if we regulated everything that "might" hurt someone we would have to cede every liberty we know of and accept our constraint of all activities.
That's funny. I live near the private range that started this bru ha ha, that is located on 300S I believe, and when I hear gun fire from that direction it makes me feel ....safe
And jealous that I don't have such a set up on my meager two acres.
You are exactly right and in complete agreement with the person you quoted. You just haven't got to know him well enough to recognize his brand of sarcasm, which most everything he has posted in this thread is dripping in it.
Some are sarcasm impaired, others selectively read what I post.
Dennis, I am the owner in question. Swing by some time and introduce yourself. Cb