The commissioners as a board and individually are being sued over the ordinance over purported state and federal violations in the ordinance, primarily involving the regulation of firearms. The City of Griffin had a similar ordinance giving the city manager emergency powers in the event of a disaster.
The city changed its ordinance removing a portion about regulation of firearms and added a line to clarify “this provision does not authorize the City Manager or his designee(s) to regulate in any manor firearms or the possession, ownership, transport, carrying, transfer, sale, purchase, licensing, or registration of firearms or components of firearms, firearms dealers, or dealers in components of firearms.”
The county ordinance has similar language allowing the county commission chairman or his designee, the emergency powers including “To suspend or limit the sale, dispensing or transportation of alcoholic beverages, firearms, explosives and flammable liquids and substances.”
(For the complete story, see tomorrow's print edition.)
