Weissport Borough Council is taking a wait-and-see approach on a local Second Amendment Sanctuary movement spearheaded by Jim Thorpe native Brandon Bell.

Bell presented the proposed ordinance, which essentially rejects the enforcement of state or federal gun laws perceived to violate the Second Amendment, to Weissport at its last meeting. Bell has been visiting Carbon County municipalities, and Bowmanstown and Palmerton have already adopted ordinances.

“My suggestion is let’s watch and see what happens on both sides of this debate,” Weissport solicitor Gregory Mousseau said during a council meeting Monday night. “I think it really goes down a slippery slope and you’d never want to pass an ordinance on a knee-jerk reaction. If you feel you want to pass it, two weeks isn’t going to make a big difference.”

Bell said he became concerned with proposed federal laws such as H.R. 127, which deals with the licensing of firearm and ammunition possession, and would prohibit the possession of certain ammunition, and H.R. 130, which deals with the storage of firearms and ammunition.

“I’m just worried about where we’re headed with some of this,” Bell said in a previous interview. “What this really does is protects the rights of everyone who owns a gun.”

Honoring Linda

Weissport also discussed Monday night ways it could possibly honor Linda Schoenberger, a member of council who passed away in February from complications of COVID-19.

Schoenberger’s sister, Muriel Highland, said the family would like to contribute financially to whatever the borough decides.

“We’ve discussed putting up a good Christmas tree in the park,” said Councilman Arland Moyer Sr.

Other ideas included erecting a wall so family of deceased council members could purchase a plaque in their honor and place it there.

Borough officials and Highland also discussed placing a plaque on one of the Weissport park benches.