Commissioners consider conceal-carry, fire agency standards
From our weekly issue dated November 11, 2009
Josephine County Commissioner Sandi Cassanelli’s request to carry a concealed weapon in the county courthouse in Grants Pass has been officially denied, but she still has concerns about building security.
Commissioners debated the issue during their Thursday, Nov. 5 meeting with the county legal department. Commission Chairman Dwight Ellis stated that he received a letter from Kirk Brust, Trial Court administrator, explaining the reasons that Cassanelli’s request could not be honored.
Ellis said that he also had spoken to Circuit Court Judge Lindi Baker and other court officials, who don’t want concealed weapons brought into the public facility.
Cassanelli, vice chairman of the county board of commissioners, said that court clerks have told her they are “terrified” about the “lack of security.”
“They’re afraid to speak up,” Cassanelli said.
An order prohibiting non-law enforcement personnel from carrying weapons in the building was signed in October 1999, Cassanelli said, adding that “a lot has changed” since.
“It’s not if an incident will happen, it’s when,” she said. “Personnel not being able to protect themselves in this building, I think, is wrong.”
Commissioner Dave Toler, a resident of Illinois Valley seeking re-election, said that the county was wasting resources by continuing the discussion of Cassanelli’s request. He said that the board has received a “solid opinion” on the matter from Legal Counsel Steve Rich and multiple judges.
“We’ve hashed this out in three or four meetings now,” Toler said. “The presiding judge has clearly made a decision.”
Toler re-emphasized his position that allowing Cassanelli to arm herself won’t create a safer environment in the courthouse.
“I know that the majority of employees on this floor will feel less safe with you carrying,” Toler said. “I’m very confident of that.”
Cassanelli disagreed, and said that she still fears for her personal safety.
“Being defenseless and not having weapons in the courthouse is just asking for trouble, since we have absolutely no court security at any of the entrances here,” she said. “Anybody can come into this building and do anything they want, and we have no recourse.”
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Fire Agency Standards Addressed
Rich also updated the commissioners on his efforts to craft an ordinance creating standards for the county’s three private fire protection providers. No such standards currently exist.
Former commissioner candidate Harry Mackin has developed a proposal and asked the board to act on it.
The draft ordinance being compiled by Rich has five main components, he said.
Among them are the requirement that the providers have a minimum Insurance Services Office rating of 8; have current certificates of auto liability, Workers Compensation and other insurance coverage; minimum levels of professional certifications for firefighters and volunteers; registration with the Secretary of State’s office; and that all vehicles be registered with the Dept. of Motor Vehicles.
Rich stated that he also would like the companies to file with the county so that officials can have lists of their officers, directors, owners and registered agents.
Toler said that the county needs “some kind of monitoring tool” to ensure that the companies comply with the required standards.
Chief Financial Officer Rosemary DeLashmutt said that the county could impose an annual report requirement. Companies would have to provide that information with a “nominal charge” to cover the county’s costs.
“I think that’s do-able,” DeLashmutt said. “That’s a fairly easy thing.”
Also discussed was the use of sanctions for companies that fall out of compliance with the standards. Rich said that the county can file an injunction in court to halt the company’s operations, but added that there’s “no cost to them to violate it” unless the ordinance includes a mechanism for establishing fines for noncompliance.
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