Stratford officials worry about mayor carrying guns

Stratford officials worry about mayor carrying guns

October 8, 2006

STRATFORD, Conn. --Mayor James R. Miron is taking some heat for allegedly packing heat.

A Town Council leader and some town workers say Miron has taken a handgun into his Town Hall office and town council meetings, raising concerns about public safety and making them uncomfortable, the Connecticut Post reported Sunday. Some say they have seen the mayor with a gun at both his hip and strapped to his ankle.

Miron, 41, a lawyer and retired Marine, refused to confirm or deny that he carries weapons to Town Hall or meetings. But he defended his right to do so.

"If I do carry guns to Town Hall, I would never admit that for personal safety reasons and my own right to privacy," said Miron, a Democrat. "I don't want someone intent on firing a gun at me or anyone else knowing if I carry guns or not."

Miron said he has had a gun permit since 1999. Local police say he had a town permit that expired last year. The mayor says he now has a state permit that allows him to carry guns anywhere in the state. He said the only reason he would fire his weapon is to defend himself or to save another person's life.

Under state permits, weapons must be concealed at all times, police say. Records on gun permits are not accessible by the public.

"It is my right to carry guns, and it is also my right not to confirm when and where I carry them," Miron said.

James Feehan, a Republican and chairman of the Town Council, told the newspaper that he saw the mayor carrying two guns at the same time -- one strapped to the ankle and the other under his suit jacket -- during a council meeting within the past few months.

"As a gun owner myself, I believe the mayor certainly has the right to carry a gun or guns as long as he has a legal permit," Feehan said. "However, if his guns are making Town Hall employees and citizens uncomfortable, as I have been told, I would ask that he cease and desist immediately.

"While I understand the mayor's personal safety concerns, I don't believe he should be carrying guns to Town Hall if they are posing a threat to anyone," Feehan said.

Ok, so someone tell me, HOW do the mayor's guns pose a threat to someone? I mean, are his guns standing up and saying "I'm gonna shoot you sucka!"??? The only way guns can be a threat would be if they are in someone's hand, being pointed at someone else. Then the person they are pointed at could consider himself threatened. Otherwise, I'd tell those people who work at City hall to sit down, shut up and get back to work.

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