by George Gramlich,
News and Commentary
The April 3, 2024 Custer County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) regular meeting started at 9 a.m. at their royally appointed abode across from the County Courthouse. All three Commissioners were present: Chair Kevin Day and members Bill Canda and
Lucas Epp.
In Commissioner Items, Canda noted that the two local TV stations (11 and 13) operating off the mountain should be operational by next week.
In New Business, the Short Term Rental Application (STR) for the Urbiztondo STR was up. This is the third go at this STR. The Planning Commission had previously voted to recommend that the BOCC deny the application due to the vehement disapproval by its neighbors. This discussion went on and on and on with multiple neighbors voicing their opposition while the Commissioners were lamenting that the STR application met all the technical requirements. In the end, the Commissioners voted to accept it.
The next New Business Item was a hot one: Resolution 24-06, Use of Firearms in County Facilities. A proposed Resolution, prepared by the County Attorney, Dan Slater, was read. The proposed policy would cover all county facilities and would basically give each department head and elected official the ability to ban the open carry of firearms in their areas. (Concealed carry was not mentioned directly in the policy.) Violation of this regulation would be a Class 1 Petty Offense with a fine of $50. Also the BOCC may post signs in any common areas disallowing open carry.
This issue was raised a few weeks ago. Canda was a bit surprised at the proposed Resolution prepared by the County Attorney in it’s breadth and scope. Canda said Slater based it on the Douglas County law. Canda didn’t like it. He said we “never talked about fines” and noted that he talked to the Fremont County BOCC and they have “no rules about carrying open or concealed except for the county’s court facility.”
Canda then stated the obvious, “WHEN YOU MAKE GUN FREE ZONES YOU MAKE SOFT TARGET AREAS.”
Sheriff Rich Smith then spoke. He said the County’s Department of Human Services could use some “extra protection” as there are often high stress level encounters there. He said the DHS Office in Cañon City has bullet proof glass at its reception area. He said we could outfit our DHS reception area with similar glass for about $3k and could also bullet proof the walls there with some special sheathing that is available. Smith noted that there are currently two “safe rooms” in the courthouse building and DHS has a direct link police radio.
Canda then reiterated that he didn’t like that the Resolution allowed for department heads and elected officials making their own calls on firearm banning. He said he would “not support this the way it is written.” Epp then commented on the time it would take to install the bullet proof glass and ballistic sheathing at DHS. Epp asked, “What can we do today for DHS to disarm somebody.” Slater answered, “Just put a sign up that says No Firearms.”
In Public Comment, Citizen John Van Doren went on an anti gun rant saying, “I have seen very angry people in this room. The only person I want to see with a firearm is the Deputy, It concerns me with people walking in here open carrying. It is an object of intimidation. It puts a dampening on public discussion. This room needs to be considered in addition to Human Services. (Typical, snow flake whining. There has never been a problem at the BOCC meetings re guns. This is rural Colorado, John. NOT LA, Chicago or NY. Respect our traditions here sir. They seem to work. Stop trying to change our way of life. In fact, the vast majority of people raised out west or in other rural areas have zero problems with people open carrying. The sight of a Citizen open carrying a gun in a public place doesn’t intimidate us, it actually reassures us. You are the problem, John, not the open carriers.)
Making the previous anti-gun rant looks amateurish, our local beta male democrat big wig operative, James Gilbert, wound up his big boy pants and let loose with an emotional (of course), high pitched, whine about guns in public places. Gilbert was upset that the Commissioners were focusing on “protecting the 2nd Amendment” instead of protecting “the people.” (Lil’ Jimmy, the 2nd protects the people. You want to make them defenseless sheep.) He said, “The only reason to carry a weapon in the courthouse is to intimidate. You want people to do whatever they want.” (World to Lil’ Jimmy: Places like the county courthouse are the places where lib nutcase killers go to kill as many people as possible. We want the ability to protect ourselves in high-risk places, like the courthouse. If you think No Weapons signs prevent mass shootings, you are living in a dream world. No Weapons signs are invitations for mass shooters. Wake up to reality, for goodness sake. Go back to the lib nightmare you came from if you don’t like our way of life.) Gilbert then got more emotional with more lib self-hate and finishes with, “My opinions are not particularly popular.” (Not only that, they are insane.)
Citizen Jim Shapland commented on how “bad guys” know areas where guns are banned.
A lady from DHS then spoke about how she has had three encounters in the office with people open carrying and she felt that the DHS Office was not safe currently. She also said a lot of people have the door code to get in and that is not good. She ended with, “I am asking you today to make us safe.”
Day asked for a vote on the proposed Resolution. Canda, Nay. Day, Nay. Then a long dramatic pause by Epp. Finally, Epp said “Nay” but added he wants to make a motion that they put a No Weapons sign up at DHS “today” and to change the door code immediately. Canda seconded the motion. This motion passes with very little comment.
Canda then made a motion to get the bullet proof glass and ballistic sheathing for DHS. In Public Discussion, Gilbert again got all wound up about scary guns saying, “You are not protecting the citizens.” (Let me see, “LJ”, disarming citizens in a high-risk area is “protecting” them? Interesting lib logic.) Going an octave higher, Gilbert whined, “Deal with the issue. Keep the issue out of the place. This is crazy. You are just weak. You are scared of the people in the county…” (Classic limousine lib, California style emotional blathering. It was beautiful to see. Normally you have to watch CNN or MSNBC to see libs at this level of meltdown. We are blessed to have “LJ” here to entertain us.) Then, rising to a crescendo of narcissistic arrogance, Gilbert delivered his final kill shot to the Commissioners, “Get some cojones and deal with the issue!” (Bravo, LJ, Bravo!)
All three Commissioners then voted to get the glass and sheathing for DHS. Canda then made a motion to have a “workshop” on the issue of firearms in county facilities. The Commissioner then changed the “workshop” to a BOCC special meeting so they could have an Executive Session if they needed it. The meeting will be on April 23rd at 11 a.m. (Tread carefully here, Commissioners. The last thing we need is a “Gun Free” zone sign which is an invitation for potential crazy people. And don’t forget, you voted Custer County to be a 2nd Amendment County not long ago. Disarming the people in a high-risk area is totally contrary to that resolution, and our Constitution. Fremont County, with a much larger population, seems to have no problem with their policy allowing their citizens to be armed in their buildings. We shouldn’t either. Custer County is still the “Land of the Free”.)
A Resolution was then passed endorsing the move to make our FreCom 911 Dispatchers, official “First Responders”. This passed.