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ELKINS -- A local resident has asked Elkins City Council to put restrictions on the annual Pride in the Park event held in Elkins City Park.
During the public comment section of the most recent council meeting, Josh Beauvais offered his reaction to the June 24 Pride in the Park event, and then asked city council to move future Pride in the Park events to "a more private, adult-only space."
"In Jefferson County, West Virginia recently, they passed an ordinance that reiterates what should already fall under federal law," Beauvais said. "No children should be permitted to attend any show that depicts, discusses or simulates sexual content, sexual excitement … or specific sexual activities. I call for this council to do the same as they did in Jefferson County.
"If I'm wrong in my claims, in my beliefs, and I'm sure some of you believe that I am, and this is not the intention of these events and this community, then passing this law would have no harm on the LGBT community, and no harm to this community of Elkins, West Virginia.
"If you believe I'm wrong, then what karma would come from passing it?," Beauvais said. "You would be merely passing a symbolic resolution to protect children. Seems pretty inarguable to me.
"I am not a wealthy man, nor am I possessing of undue influence in the community, but if you're unwilling to pass such a painfully obvious ordinance, it will be my goal to ensure that the people of this city, including your future opponents for the seats that you occupy, know your name and know that you refuse to stand for the protecting of their children."
No member of council, nor any other city official, addressed the issue after Beauvais finished his comments.
Later in the meeting, however, Fifth Ward Councilman Cody Thompson said, "I just want to give a quick update that the Elkins Pride in the Park was a wonderful event, filled with lots of happy people, including myself, and I was very happy to attend it."
This week, responding to questions from The Inter-Mountain about the proposed law Beauvais spoke of, Elkins City Clerk Sutton Stokes emailed the following:
"It is already illegal to perform sex acts in public. It is also already illegal to expose minors to obscene materials. The Elkins Police Department would not hesitate to take action in response to any reports of this kind of behavior in Elkins. Council is not currently working on any symbolic resolutions restating laws that are already on the books."
Regarding prohibiting the Pride event from the City Park, Sutton wrote, "It would be unconstitutional for either City of Elkins or the Elkins Parks and Recreation Commission to prohibit law-abiding groups from using public spaces simply based on the content of their speech, which includes performances.
"The exception would be speech and performances that consist of exposing minors to obscene materials as defined under state or federal law, performing sex acts in public, or otherwise violating the law. Anyone witnessing this or other illegal behavior should contact the authorities."
Tom Tesar, the city's director of parks, provided the following comment to The Inter-Mountain:
"EPRC policy is to allow any individuals or organizations to use public park facilities, as long as they comply with EPRC rules and all applicable laws. Anyone who witnesses illegal behavior in city parks should call 911."