HEBER CITY, Utah-This past week, the Wasatch County Council decided to create a committee to further explore an ordinance that would make Wasatch County a second-amendment sanctuary county.
Heber City South Councilor Kendall Crittenden brought this item to the agenda meeting and spoke about recent events in Wasatch County.
These events, Crittenden said, threaten to take away First and Second Amendment rights for Wasatch County residents as well as other privileges.
The U.S. Constitution’s Second Amendment protects the right of citizens to bear arms.
Citing counties such as Uintah and Wayne County who have protected the Second Amendment, Crittenden used them as a template for his beliefs concerning what Wasatch County should do.
Wasatch County Attorney Scott Sweat said that while resolutions can act as a statement, an ordinance would actually change county code.
Sweat said this could potentially put Wasatch County in direct opposition with state or federal law.
Sweat says the county will prepare whatever the council ultimately decides but prefers a resolution to an ordinance.
Sweat confirmed that personally, he is aligned with the Second Amendment but sees that an ordinance can cause issues for Wasatch County.
Wasatch County Sheriff Jared Rigby supported upholding the Constitution but also supported a resolution instead of an ordinance to avoid a conflict in laws created for officers.
Ryan Hobbs of the Wasatch County Second Amendment Group addressed the council to support an ordinance.
Hobbs cited his family values as an impetus for his claims and said it’s up to Wasatch County families to ensure that the Second Amendment is not dismantled.
Resident Renee Athay said she is not advocating to take away anyone’s guns, but said that guns should not be “a dominant force in our community on any level.”
Councilor Marilyn Crittenden weighed in to express support for the Constitution and Second Amendment. However, she was also reticent to create an ordinance on this polarizing issue.
Marilyn Crittenden ultimately stated she prefers something to unite the community as opposed to something that polarizes it.
Kendall Crittenden then motioned to ask for Sweat’s office to prepare a resolution and ordinance to make Wasatch County a Second Amendment sanctuary county.
This motion failed while council members offered an alternative to create a committee comprised of a cross section of community and elected officials to discuss what a possible resolution or ordinance would look like.
