2nd Amendment Resolution deemed redundant during Board of Supervisors meeting Aug 25

Amendment Resolution Request Considered Redundant

The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, August 25, 2020, rejected a request from a citizen for a Second Amendment resolution. The resolution, submitted by Keri Martell, resolved the Board would “not exercise any authority granted to it by Section 15.2-915(E) of the Code of Virginia to regulate or prohibit the otherwise legal purchase, possession, or transfer of firearms or ammunition.”

The supervisors rejected the resolution after hearing from County Attorney Mike Lockerby, who told Board members that they could not create a resolution that would be binding upon future Board of Supervisors members.

Additionally, the supervisors in November 2019 passed a resolution making Botetourt County a Second Amendment “sanctuary.” In that resolution, the Board affirmed “its support of the rights ensured and protected by the constitutions of the United States and Virginia, including the rights of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms.”

Amsterdam District Supervisor Steve Clinton said that calling attention to those legislative powers only made an issue of what the Board could do. “It’s paranoia of some darker narrative where it’s probably nothing,” he said. “We have bigger things to do than give voice to our imaginings and offer solutions that aren’t going to work.”

Martell told the supervisors that the difference now is that the county has the ability to legislate gun issues, a control given by this year’s Virginia General Assembly.

After allowing Martell to speak, the supervisors agreed that the resolution she presented was redundant and simply a restatement of the November resolution. “Basically, we’re just repeating ourselves,” Fincastle District Supervisor Richard Bailey said.

Chairman Billy Martin also reiterated the county’s support for the Sheriffs’ Office, emergency services, and gun rights.

The supervisors earlier in the meeting passed a resolution supporting the Virginia School Resource Officer Grants program. That resolution called upon the Virginia General Assembly to continue to fund the grant in order to keep schools safe.

                                           — Anita Firebaugh, Special to The Botetourt Bee