An Ohio college town’s council voted reluctantly Monday night to undo a gun ban that conflicted with a state law.
The Oberlin City Council voted 4-3 to eliminate a prohibition on carrying firearms in city parks, in an effort to comply with an Ohio statute that permits guns in most public places.
“We don’t want to see guns in the park,” Council President Ronnie Rimbert said. “We just want to get in compliance with the state law so we don’t have to be worried about being sued or not having insurance if anything should happen.”
Interested private parties could have taken the city to court if the council had voted not to adhere to the Ohio law. Oberlin’s finance director said that the city’s insurance carrier would be unable to provide coverage in the event of lawsuit.
True to Rimbert’s words, the council approved later in the Monday session a measure calling on the Ohio General Assembly and Gov. John Kasich to enact a law that would allow cities to regulate firearms in public parks.
Red Alert Politics’ Katie LaPotin wrote at length about the debate over the Oberlin gun ban last week.
(h / t Cleveland Plain Dealer, WEWS-TV)
