NIT – Yesterday, a disgruntled man brought a gun to an Iowa courthouse and tried to shoot the tax lady.
There was a sign on the door at the Jackson County Courthouse in Maquoketa, reminding folks that guns are not allowed. But that didn’t stop a man who was miffed about his taxes from trying to even the score, firing shots and taking his own life.
There is fear that violence can happen at anytime at these public meetings, even here in North Iowa.
Supervisor Jay Urdahl was a big proponent in banning guns from the Cerro Gordo County Courthouse. Many say the ban is unenforceable and not legal. Urdahl, on at least one occasion, brought a Cerro Gordo deputy in to a Supervisor meeting to sit in the back of the room out of fear of tough questions from NIT. Urdahl was reacting to a series of pointed questions from NIT regarding free meals and other goodies he has received.
Scott Tornquist, a Mason City councilman, has always had plenty of fear. For example, he has literally ran from council meetings when citizens turn the heat up with tough questions. Once, he proposed making sure the shades are always drawn shut at council meetings to make sure no one can aim a gun at him and get a clean shot. The word is, he forced the Mason City library to purchase thicker shades for the windows in the Mason City Room where council meetings are held, and cost the library thousands of dollars. You won’t find this deed in any city council meeting minutes, since he strong-armed library staff after a Rotary meeting, NIT is told.
It seems that gun violence is in the news everyday, and that many people are armed.
Do you think there should be more security at public meetings in North Iowa, considering the event that took place Tuesday in Maquoketa?
18 thoughts on “Security at public meetings: More needed?”
Nothing more than rule from behind the barrel of a gun. That happens when the politician has been bought and is implementing the policies not in the best interest of his constituents.
I can’t believe you guys are condoning what happened. People who feel they need to kill someone because they feel wronged are mentally deranged. This should never happen and excusing it is evidence that you all are also mentally deranged.
No where near as deranged as as hypoctitical train diver who sucks his income off others and hides behind his whistle. Go block a intersection so the tax payers can’t use the streets they paid for. You don’t care as long as you get yours. Then you pretend you care about other people. What a farce you are.
Wrong, wrong and more wrong. You are an idiot.
@bodacious-and you are a liar and you know it.
I don’t lie.
@bodacious-Yes you are, you are lying right now.
then how does janet solenberg able to carry a concealed gun to these meetings ?????? i know this for a fact!!!!!! because i also belong to the river city gun club with her…. the law says that no one can carry into a building if it posted…..
THAT is scary. The woman is totally deranged and disturbed. You can smell her mental illness a mile away. I really feel sorry for my neighbors in the fourth ward. Plus, she would lose a beauty contest to a cocker spaniel. Heck, Skipper is better looking. We’re in big trouble with this woman on the council.
That is very scary. I grew up with guns. I have no problem with people being able to own guns. But when people have bad tempers, and obvious signs of mental illness or feel fear, that makes it a bad situation. She should not be allowed to carry her gun to the council meetings. Here’s a question, does our city administrator and Bookie henchman carry his gun to work? If so, that shouldn’t be allowed either.
Realize that in Jackson County it was a member of the public, not one of the governmental officers, who was the shooter. I’m not sure why the conversation has devolved into Ms. Solberg or other council members carrying guns.
The conversation has not “devolved”. This is a very legitimate concern from citizens. Elected leaders throughout history are just like anyone else. Many times they suffer from mental illness, heavy drinking, depression. This very well could be a problem with our very own elected leaders here in Mason City. It is troubling that they could have guns, especially knowing how some of them have it in for the common citizen. In light of the very real possibility that these imbalanced individuals are likely packing heat at council meetings, I feel the city should consider making available to any citizen who attends council meetings, a bullet proof vest. Chamber of Commerce members are probably safe, so they won’t need one, but anyone with a beef against the city might.
I wasn’t singling out Solberg or anyone else. My point is that NO ONE should be allowed to be carrying weapons to a governmental meeting. Not the public or the elected officials. Including Trout. As short fused as some people are, it makes for a dangerous situation.
She should be kicked off the council. Doing city business on city property while armed?? Read the employee handbook..INSTANT termination. I remember a city guy being warned to “not have any hunting guns in their personal vehicles while on city property” You WILL be fired on the spot. Does that mean any employee of the city that is legal to carry a firearm can NOW carry while on duty? Just because of your position doesn’t give anyone more right to defend themselves..
Wow that’s crazy about the shades at the library and I heard their budget is thin or in the red but I guess Scott needs to feel safe kind of like a baby and he dont care who pays where are the people with any guts how come they can’t run for office
This type thing will be on the increase. Government and its employees are taking more and more and more from the private sector. If you take his money, his property, tax him out of the rest (without say). People are going to fight back?
How many unarmed citizens have been killed by law enforcement in the past year?
People read these things. Government is taking over and some don’t like it
Government is not taking over it is the criminals and the mentally ill who are getting elected by special interest into positions of power. When these criminal/mentally ill individuals put on the cloak of government then they give government a bad name. Let’s separate the seeds from the husk government is there to protect and serve when the cloak of government is worn by the crazy then we have a problem and we need to identify the problem.
I would say they have nothing to fear except fear itself, unless they are cowardly worms and then they brought it on themselves. Putting up a sign does nothing but advertise to the criminals that they have a free hand.