A HOLDING PATTERN – Local entities responding to concealed carry laws

Most publicly funded organizations are in a holding pattern regarding concealed carry, waiting to see if the Kansas Legislature will make any sort of changes to their new regulations enacted in 2013.
Under the changes, any state or municipal buildings must allow the concealed carry of guns inside their walls if no “adequate security measures are in place.” However, those entities may request an extension to maintain the ban on concealed carry until Dec. 31, 2017. As of Jan. 1, the extension deadline, local authorities either made the decision to postpone any action or allow concealed carry inside their premises.
Currently, Humboldt, Iola and Allen Community College have opted to extend the regulation — no guns are permitted inside the two city halls, the Humboldt pool and the New Community Building in Iola. Allen County Commissioners opted out of the extension — guns are currently allowed in the courthouse, except for the courts, court clerk’s office and the court lobby. Guns are also allowed in the new Allen County Regional Hospital.
For those who applied for the extension, it is simply a game of “wait and see,” until the deadline looms closer.
“Hopefully there’s some people with deeper pockets than our little college that can come up with some sort of resolution,” ACC President John Masterson said. For some of the entities, all they can do is wait and see if the state Legislature can repeal the changes.
“It looks like it’s a virtually unmanageable problem.”
Iola Administrator Carl Slaugh, Humboldt Adminstrator Larry Tucker and Masterson each voiced the same concern over the new law — the cost to implement security measures is impractical for small cities and organizations, as well as unwarranted.
The “adequate security measures” have been interpreted as regulated entrances into public buildings, complete with some sort of metal detector, gun storage and staff member checking the entrants. Each entrance must have a checkpoint, or must be sealed.
“Our plan has always been to call 911,” Masterson said. “(The security measures) have a tremendous cost to them.”
Tucker said the City of Humboldt is hoping it will receive some sort of resource from the state, either financially or informationally, to help implement the security points when 2017 comes around.
“They’re not sharing any remedies with us down here,” Tucker said.

WHILE THE cost is a major concern, the issue of safety was at the forefront of municipalities’ minds.
“I own guns, I can handle guns, that’s not a problem,” Masterson said. “But I would not feel comfortable allowing guns in the school.”
Slaugh said the City of Iola has not received any sort of request from the citizens of Iola to allow guns inside city buildings, and he believes the presence of guns only increases the risk of an accident or incident.
“There’s a strong element of the society right now that thinks it’s safer to have your own weapon,” Slaugh said. “I think it would be more costly than it would be helpful.”
County Counselor Alan Weber said county commissioners voted to allow concealed carry in the courthouse, due to the fact that the deadline for the security measures is coming either way.
“It’s a moot point,” he said.
As for the others, they believe their buildings are safer with no guns allowed inside their walls. As per the extension, municipalities and state buildings were required to have a security plan in place in case of an incident — Iola, Humboldt and ACC each have emergency plans in place, which are confidential.
Masterson said he believes the concealed carry legislation is a political issue more than anything, but the state needs to realize that the ultimatum given by the state puts small organizations, like ACC and small towns, between a rock and a hard place.
“I think the proponents of concealed carry would say this is a health and safety issue,” Masterson said. “I respectfully disagree.”
Slaugh said the issues of gun safety come up in both small rural areas, as well as metropolitan areas and the local organizations are doing their best to prevent any sort of dire situation.
“That’s what you’re trying to protect against, is someone flying off the handle,” Slaugh said. “Small town or big town, that can be an issue. I’m not sure going back to the wild west where everybody can carry their own gun is the best solution.”