Guns in parks tops commission agenda

Tonight’s Brentwood City Commission agenda isn't extensive on paper, but it includes several items of interest and the discussion on them could be lively and long.
Among them are resolutions to ban guns in city-owned parks and buildings.
Resolution 2009-56, if adopted, “will prohibit the possession of handguns in all of the City’s municipal parks. Handguns would also be prohibited on bicycle pedestrian trails and greenways that are part of the City's parks system. This resolution is proposed as a response to legislation recently passed by the Tennessee General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Bredesen.”
The resolution’s cost, if adopted, is estimated to be approximately $2,500 for signage.
In a related resolution, No. 2009-57, which would prohibit possession of weapons at city meetings and buildings, “staff recommends that weapons should likewise be prohibited within all City buildings and at City meetings. There has been no evidence to indicate that individuals need, for personal safety reasons, to carry guns within City of Brentwood facilities. The safety and security of citizen board members, City employees, and members of the public visiting City buildings is more likely to be threatened, real or perceived, if persons other than law enforcement officers are allowed to carry weapons in City meetings and facilities.”
The guns in parks issue was the subject of Williamson A.M.’s Sunday centerpiece story. The link, in case you missed it, is www.tinyurl.com/BWparkguns.

When construction just stops
Luckily Brentwood has no unfinished, abandoned subdivision projects … yet. Other areas of Middle Tennessee have not been so lucky. Stories of half-completed homes left sitting when builders or developers have declared bankruptcy have been reported over the past year. But the city is not immune and is taking preemptive measures to prevent it here.
Ordinance 2009-07, would amend municipal code in regard to suspended and abandoned construction. "Suspended construction" is defined to include structures for which no good faith effort has been made to complete construction for a period of 60 days.
"Abandoned construction" include structures for which no good faith effort has been made to complete construction for a period of 180 days.
This ordinance would give the city the teeth needed to take “necessary remedial actions.”
For a complete description of the ordinance, check out the agenda item at www.cobaq.org/agenda_publish.cfm at the city’s website.
The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the Brentwood Municipal Center’s second-floor boardroom. The center is at 5211 Maryland Way.
For many of the same reasons set forth in Legal Services Memorandum No. 2009-09 in support of Resolution 2009-56 (prohibiting handguns in City parks and similar public places) staff recommends that weapons should likewise be prohibited within all City buildings and at City meetings. There has been no evidence to indicate that individuals need, for personal safety reasons, to carry guns within City of Brentwood facilities. The safety and security of citizen board members, City employees, and members of the public visiting City buildings is more likely to be threatened, real or perceived, if persons other than law enforcement officers are allowed to carry weapons in City meetings and facilities.