By Heather Graves
Correspondent
BROWN COUNTY – After nearly five hours of discussion, from both the public and the county board at the Jan. 15 meeting, a motion to adopt a resolution making Brown County a Second Amendment Sanctuary County failed on a 13-13 tie vote.
Two prior motions also failed – including one to send the question to a contingent referendum in November, which failed 23-3; and another to remove the word sanctuary and change the wording to reaffirm the county’s support for the Second Amendment, failed 13-13.
An amendment to the original resolution further explaining what sanctuary meant in regards to the resolution also failed with a 13-13.
To say emotions ran high throughout the evening would be an understatement.
Dozens of county residents on both sides of the issue filled the board room with standing room only, taking more than two hours to share their thoughts.
Those in opposition of the resolution held bright orange signs asking supervisors to “Vote No,” and spoke to the dangers they said come with guns.
“Misinformation and unfounded alarm over reasonable gun laws lead to such resolutions,” said Susie Beverstein, Green Bay. “This proposed sanctuary resolution is misguided. Most sensible individuals would look at innocent people getting shot and see a problem. What about my rights to safety?”
Those in favor urged supervisors to support the resolution as a way to further support their Second Amendment rights.
“We need to reaffirm the Second Amendment, step up, send that message,” said Steve Mcallister, Green Bay. “We don’t want to have what’s happening in Virginia to happen here.”
On numerous occasions, Board Chair Patrick Moynihan had to regain order to the board room and remind attendees to keep things respectful.
On occasion, members of the sheriff’s department had to step in, and even escorted two people from the board chambers.
The resolution was originally brought forward by District 20 Supervisor Steve Deslauriers.
The issue was brought to the full board Wednesday following an unanimous passing at the executive committee meeting Jan. 6.
The resolution would have reaffirmed the county’s support for the Second Amendment, and send a message to state and national legislators that it is opposed to any laws that would infringe on that.
Deslauriers said his reasoning beyond bringing the resolution forward was personal.
“I think I owe this body a little background on why I brought this forward,” he said. “It was not to divide the community. It was not to divide this body. I have deep personal interest in the Second Amendment – to protect my home, my property, my family. I believe everyone who spoke tonight has the same goals, I believe we are all interested in safer places.”
Deslauriers said there are many different perspectives on how to achieve safety.
“When I originally brought the proposal to the executive committee, I knew very well the more controversial parts of it would be pulled, and I was fine with that,” he said. “I wasn’t married to the language. I was looking to have this Brown County Board make a strong statement to state and federal legislators to protect our state against what is happening in Virginia. This is not a partisan, political stunt. I’m not running for office again. I get no political capital from this.”
Deslauriers wasn’t alone with his support.
“The difficultly of removing the Second Amendment and taking away our right to bear arms – it is interpreted by the Supreme Court,” said District 17 Supervisor John Van Dyck. “So by the vote of five people, the Second Amendment can be interpreted in different manners. So if you think that it takes changing the Second Amendment to take away someone’s guns, you are sadly mistaken.”
District 9 Supervisor Patrick Evans agreed.
“If you support the Second Amendment, then this decision is easy,” he said. “Gun ownership is under attack.”
Others didn’t think that the county board was the right place to discuss this issue.
“It is clear that the word sanctuary has a definite meaning,” said District 1 Supervisor Tom Sieber. “It means basically what’s in the resolution to them. That individuals can decide what’s a constitutional gun law is and not the courts. It’s removing the power of the courts, the co-equal branch of government to decide what’s constitutional and what’s not constitution, and leaves it in the hands of the county board or the county sheriff. That’s just not something I want to be a part of. That’s not something Brown County should be a part of. This whole thing needs to go away. In my eight years on the board, I have never seen anyone escorted out of the county board chambers, ever. The divisiveness this has caused is unbelievable.”
Supervisors who voted in favor of the resolution were Deslauriers, John Vander Leest, Andy Nicholson, Evans, Bernie Erickson, Buckley, Moynihan, Dave Landwehr, Norb Dantinne Jr., Dave Kaster, Van Dyck, Tom Lund and Keith Deneys.
Florence County in far northern Wisconsin approved a similar resolution last November, the first in the state.