Madison County commissioners shot down a proposed ordinance Monday night that would have outlawed the discharge of a firearm within 300 feet of a residence in the county.
The commissioners’ decision drew enthusiastic applause from a large crowd that packed the Madison County Superior Courtroom to voice their dismay with the proposal. A number of hunters wore camouflage to the meeting. Others sported stickers with a red line running through “gun control.”
“Look at this room and that should answer all the questions you have about how Madison County residents feel about this ordinance,” said Phil Booth, who opposed the proposal.
George Nale stood at the podium Monday night and ripped the proposed ordinance in half, then walked to the commissioners’ table and placed the torn paper in front of District 3 Commissioner Mike Youngblood.
Youngblood opened the discussion Monday, saying he was approached by residents in his district who say they are disturbed by people firing guns in subdivisions in the Hull area.
The commissioner said he wanted to bring up the issue at a meeting and seek public input on how to keep people from firing guns in heavily populated areas. He assured the crowd that he has no interest in doing away with basic gun rights.
“There’s no truth to this (the proposed ordinance) doing away with deer hunting in the county,” said Youngblood. “There’s no truth to this taking everyone’s guns.”
Harry Carter, a long-time Madison County ranger, said the ordinance is a bad idea.
“You can’t legislate common sense,” said Carter. “And that’s what we’re trying to do here.”
Carter said the ordinance would needlessly affect many other gun-owning residents in the county, not just those targeted.
Eleven people took the podium to speak against the proposal Monday. No one spoke in favor of the ordinance. Many opponents said that gun laws already on the books can be used to address people who recklessly discharge firearms around others.
Harrison-area resident Marion Cartwright said that hunters are among the best citizens around.
“People who like to hunt and fish don’t cause many problems,” said Cartwright.
Opponents said that a 300-foot requirement would eliminate hunting on many small tracts in the county. They said that many people allow hunting on their land with the understanding that people will take personal responsibility for their gun use.
“This (the ordinance) would turn out to be nothing but harassment,” said Barry Venable.
Commissioner Stanley Thomas spoke out against the ordinance.
“I’d rather have someone with their back to my house shooting away rather than someone 300 feet away shooting toward it,” said Thomas.
Thomas said he had been on the phone all day with people opposed to the ordinance. He said he felt that a lot of anxiety from people in the room may not be due to local decision makers, but federal ones.
“I think a lot of people in here are concerned about what’s going to happen with gun rights, not from Madison County but from Washington D.C.,” said Thomas.
Youngblood thanked the crowd for attending the meeting, adding that he feels the county would be better off if the BOC had that kind of turnout at every meeting.
Commissioner Bruce Scogin closed the discussion with some humor about the issue.
“My concern (about the ordinance) is that in case my wife shoots me, I want there to be one less charge,” said Scogin, drawing laughs from the crowd.
Enjoy your time on the BOC, Mr. Youngblood, because you won't be elected to another term. You will definitely have opposition, and we will make sure to remind everyone what you tried to do here. We will not forget!
We dwellers to Athens are so sorry we are making your life so uncomfortable. not.
The housing crisis and rising fuel costs have made living in Madison County to commute to Athens / Atlanta a foolish proposition. Many residents have been foreclosed upon, and many more are moving closer to where they work. This trend will continue in the decades to come. With this slowing growth, there is no need for animal control now or in the future as this county will remain rural, poor and agricultural.
EMS is suffering financially while we waste money on dogs and cats. Should the rampant growth in Madison County ever return, we can revisit animal control at that time. Right now, I know several builders who are facing bankruptcy as subdivisions are abandoned and new housing sits vacant months and even years after construction is finished.
We need to return to sustainable living. That means if you work in Athens or Atlanta, you simply will not be able to afford to live out here in the country and interfere with the lives of farmers. It also means the need for animal control is nonexistent. Factor in that animal control has been a dismal failed experiment in govt. trying to get involved in every aspect of people's lives and it is clear to everyone except a couple of bitter, sour-grape commissioners that animal control needs to go. Especially since it is resulting in higher taxes, which is forcing people into foreclosure. We have to make cuts. Animal Control is obviously one service that can be cut.
BTW, seems most of the citizens who are serving on the animal control board are in favor of eliminating animal control. And a majority of citizens in the county favor eliminating animal control. Isn't that enough?
Let's revisit this issue when the bad egg commissioner is gone and we have a new county commissioner as well. And let's consult the animal control board. That's why they exist. To provide advice. And most of them seem to favor putting an end to this foolish waste of hundreds of thousands of tax dollars.
There were no supporters of this. If there had been, there would have been people speaking in favor of it at the meeting. Youngblood lied and made up that people asked him to introduce this. I guarantee if someone asked him to introduce it, they would have been there to speak. Otherwise, Youngblood should have voluntarily rescinded the motion of the people asking for it can't even take the time to show up to speak and waste the time and tax dollars of all the rest of the citizens of Madison County. Youngblood lied.
Anyway, my reason why isn't the issue. Someone stated that Youngblood brought up the gun ordinance because "someone in his district had asked to bring it up." Well, I asked him to bring up eliminating taxpayers subsidizing the Rec. park - Why didn't he bring it up?
Answer: You don't bring up legislation because "someone" asks you to. Youngblood wasted a lot of people's time and money cowtowing to "someone."
A big thanks to the citizens and other commissioners for putting him back in his place!
In a time when the county is cutting everything in the world to make the budget balance this is things that need to go until times change, Just like the salaries of the employees in the commissioners office that would save the county ALOT of money!!!!!!
people in this county like to point fingure. yet they never staind for anything why? maybe mike was not clear i understaind,but this man does more for this county and district. mike risks his live rite along with a few more good men and they can't find enough of them. for you that don't know him he is a very big part of the emg service in this town and i will put mike youngblood up aginst anyone any day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!