The Town Council voted 6-1 to oppose a bill moving through the Arizona Legislature that effectively allows permitted individuals to carry weapons inside public buildings.

Councilman Henry Leger said he has serious concerns about the bill that seems to keep coming back year after year. It was noted that Governor Jan Brewer had vetoed the bill three times during her tenure.

The proposed law would require any site where firearms are not permitted to have security personnel and metal detectors.

Leger said he is concerned about the potential costs to the town if they want to keep weapons out of town buildings.

He noted that the town complied with a law requiring gun lockers outside public buildings if there is a prohibition. Those lockers have been in place for a couple of years outside Town Hall and the library.

“These are costs (up to $130,000) per year for each of the four buildings we want to secure,” Leger said about the proposed bill.

Leger suggested the council ask staff to express their opposition in a letter to legislative members.

Councilman Alan Magazine said he has reservations that a letter would be ineffective and stated he would like see something stronger.

“We need to do whatever we can to stop this disaster,” Magazine said.

“We should send the letter first and foremost to speak as a body,” Leger said.

Mayor Linda Kavanagh, who was the lone vote against the council opposition, said there is an alternative.

Kavanagh noted that if the town allows firearms inside public buildings, then it would not need to use security personnel or metal detectors.

Kavanagh said if the town prohibits weapons it is only going to keep law-abiding citizens from being armed. She said the “bad guys” will find their way in with weapons if they want to.

The law allows for anyone with a proper firearms permit to carry the weapon inside a public building or event.

Exempt from the security personnel and metal detector provision would be schools, healthcare facilities, community college or university buildings and private entities.

Town Administrative Service Director Grady Miller told the council he has been following the legislation and would continue to do so, and would express the council opposition.