Recently, the Payson town council was prepared to vote on a new ordinance that would ban chalk from parks. http://www.paysonroundup.com/news/2014/sep/13/chalky-desperado-crackdown/

The ordinance would further not allow using charcoal in grills at the park. It would prohibit climbing fences, buildings and other structures. Even drones and unmanned vehicles and aircraft would be prevented from the park per the proposed ordinance. In advance of the passage of the ordinance the town removed all charcoal/wood grilles for barbecuing from the parks. It is disappointing that visitors can no longer use charcoal at the park. That seems a stretch and unnecessary. During high fire season you can simply not allow open fires and the rest of the year you allow it. Another unfriendly message to visitors of Payson.

This stuff must have come from a recommendation from town staff. It is a typical overreaction to a perceived problem and the next thing you know, another law in the books. I can sort of equate outlawing chalk to outlawing guns. I remember the old saying, “if you outlaw guns, only outlaws will have guns.” Sort of like if you outlaw chalk, only “outlaws” will have chalk.

Evidently chalk has been used in the park to draw the infamous gigantic “phallic” symbols. And with those drawings usually come some lewd comments. I’m not sure how outlawing chalk would prevent that. I would believe that if someone was caught drawing inappropriate symbols and writing lewd comments, that current laws would suffice. One cannot legislate for every potential and conceivable wrongdoing. It appears the council has tabled this to a later date and hopefully they use common sense and not try to write an ordinance for every potential issue. Just enforce current laws and it will be fine.

The unintended consequences from this ordinance would be huge so instead of tabling it, how about putting in the paper shredder.