Gun owners can now carry their firearms into the Stewartstown municipal building.

The borough council unanimously abolished a ban on guns other than those carried by law enforcement in most parts of the building during its meeting Monday night.

A few members of the York County Libertarian Party took issue with the ban and voiced their displeasure before the council during a January meeting.

On Monday, solicitor Craig Sharnetzka briefed the council on state law regulating guns in municipal buildings, telling them guns could be banned in certain parts of the building, specifically the holding cell area and the police department.

However, guns cannot be banned in areas where they are permitted under state law, members of the party had argued.

Vote: The ban drew the ire of Libertarians after a borough police officer stopped a party member from carrying a gun into the building the night of Jan. 7 for the regular council meeting.

A stenciled sign on a window near the front door of the building stating "no guns are permitted inside this building except by law enforcement officials" will be taken down, according to a borough official.

The ban had been in effect for years.

State law allows the borough to continue to ban firearms in the holding cell area and police department, Sharnetzka told the council.

The council then approved a motion by Councilman Kenton Kurtz to allow gun owners to carry firearms in most areas of the building except the police department and the holding cell area.

York City resident and Libertarian Manuel Gomez praised the council's vote on the matter.

"I thank you again for being very attentive to this issue," he told council members.

-- Reach Greg Gross at ggross@yorkdispatch.com.