Town decides on where to place firearms signage

“We’ve just put signs up all over town…”

Thirteen town-owned properties will be marked with a sign making it clear that the “open carry of firearms” is prohibited in that space. The Crested Butte Town Council has spent several meetings discussing adjustments to the town code that would restrict the open carry of firearms in town. But under state law, a blanket prohibition is not possible, so the town is limited to its properties and only those that are signed.

The staff came up with 31 locations that could meet the qualifications. They ranged from the town parks to the town hall to Stepping Stones and the town shed behind the museum.
Former councilman John Wirsing has been a consistent critic of the move during the discussion and Monday was no different. “I want to reiterate that prohibiting firearms doesn’t make it safer,” he said. “Look at the latest Fort Hood incident. Some politician somewhere decided it was better if soldiers couldn’t protect themselves, so they were not allowed to carry guns and some soldiers were killed as a result.”
“This ordinance is probably no more constitutional than the one you are abolishing,” he continued.  “People should be able to take responsibility for themselves. Guns save more lives than the harm caused by the guns. People carry guns to protect themselves and it actually reduces crime.”
When asked by Councilman David Owen if the proposed ordinance was constitutional, John Belkin, the town attorney, replied, “Of course, I believe it is constitutional. Otherwise we wouldn’t be doing it.”
Mayor Aaron Huckstep advocated for a small number of signs that would be posted at the discretion of the town manager. “The question is whether we give him a wide degree of latitude or specific direction,” Huckstep said.
Councilman Chris Ladoulis said that based on the state law, the absence of a sign makes open carry legal in a location. “I think it is the responsibility of the council to determine where the law is applied,” he said. “We shouldn’t put Todd in the position of having to defend why or why not a sign was put someplace when a citizen questions the issue. That is policy and is the responsibility of the council.”
“I agree that it should be up to us. Otherwise it is the town manager creating the law,” said Councilperson Shaun Matusewicz. “From my perspective the fewer the signs the better, and they should have a minimal impact.”
The council went through the list of 31 properties and through a straw poll process the majority of the council indicated that signs should go up in 13 places.
They include the Town Park, Gothic Field, Rainbow Park, Big Mine Park, Tommy V Field/Town Ranch, the 8th Street Greenway, Three Ladies Park, Totem Pole Park, the Dirt Jump Park, the Marshal’s building, Town Hall, the Big Mine Park warming house and Stepping Stones.
“I think we are greatly over-signing,” said Matusewicz. “This is a dramatic overreaction by the council.”
“If we could post one sign at the entrance to town that would be great, but we can’t,” said Councilman Jim Schmidt.
“I too think we’ve overreacted,” said Huckstep. “I hope we can be creative with the signs. We’ve all said we don’t want to put signs up all over town, but we’ve just put signs up all over town.”
Huckstep, Matusewicz and Councilman Roland Mason voted against the list but the regulations were passed by the council with a 4-3 vote.