Fort Madison, IA – The Fort Madison City Council has approved the 1st reading of an ordinance that would ban weapons from city parks and from city-owned buildings.
The measure passed by a 6-0 margin with one member absent.
The list of city-owned properties include City Hall, the public library and swimming pool, and several cemeteries.
City Manager Byron Smith says the council wanted to discuss the issue of a gun ban in anticipation of Iowa becoming a "Right To Carry" state on January 1.
Smith says a couple of exemptions were added during the council's debate about the ordinance. He says the exemptions would cover elected leaders and retired peace officers.
Several members of the Fort Madison City Council are certified reserve officers with the police department.
The panel fell one vote short of passing all three readings of the weapon ban during its last meeting in December. That means a second and third vote could take place on Tuesday, January 4.
Smith expects to see opponents of the ban show up at that meeting.
A similar proposal was tabled by the Keokuk City Council earlier this month. It's unclear whether it will come up again.