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Board adopts ordinance banning concealed carry by public in county buildings, 15–4
Summary
The Vernon County Board adopted Ordinance 2026‑01 to prohibit members of the public from carrying concealed firearms inside county buildings (employees exempt); the measure passed 15–4 after the board accepted 61 remonstrances.
The Vernon County Board adopted Ordinance 2026‑01, titled the Vernon County Buildings Firearms Ordinance, by a vote of 15 in favor and 4 opposed. The ordinance prohibits the public from carrying firearms (including concealed carry with or without a permit) in county buildings while preserving specified exemptions for law enforcement, National Guard on duty, lessees of premises, firearms stored in vehicles in parking facilities, and certain county employees carrying pursuant to law and policy.
Before the vote the board acknowledged 61 remonstrances opposing the ordinance and voted to waive a 14‑day filing rule so late remonstrances would be accepted into the record. Supervisor Jacobson provided background, telling the board the proposal originated after a department head raised concerns about an individual who entered a county building with a visible firearm. The minutes note that by statute some open carry restrictions already apply to certain courthouse areas; the ordinance extends prohibitions to conceal carry by members of the public while maintaining employee exemptions and required signage.
