Activists calling for a ban on gun shows on property owned by Westchester County, while also calling for an end to gun violence and tighter gun control laws, braved the 19 degree temperature in White Plains Monday evening for a candlelight vigil on the steps of the County Office Building.

Several members of the clergy spoke, along with event organizers. The vigil lasted about a half hour, then the group went inside for the meeting of the Board of Legislators which was expected to pass the ban on gun shows for which the group was calling.

County Executive Rob Astorino, however, was expected to veto the bill in the coming days if it was passed by the legislature. It would then be up to legislators to override the veto. Some legislators attended the vigil. Also seen was Greenburgh Town Supervisor

Paul Feiner. A gun show is scheduled to be held at the Westchester County Center in White Plains later this month.

Act #9417, which prohibits participation in a gun show on County Property, passed this evening by a vote of 9 to 8. Legislator Ken Jenkins (D-Yonkers), the original sponsor of the bill, was joined by his Democratic colleagues in the passage of this measure which was first proposed after the tragedy which took place at Sandy Hook.

“The passage of this Act is a victory for the taxpayers of Westchester County. As I have been saying since I first introduced this measure in 2010, the use of County owned facilities to host shows which promote weapons, as well as other various symbols of violence and hatred, is not what we as a County should be doing,” said Legislator Jenkins. “To profit from this is just not the business Westchester residents want to be in. I hope all of my colleagues as well as the County Executive see the support this Act has through those who have called, emailed, tweeted, Facebook posted, written, and attended here this evening and join in its passage and implementation,” added Jenkins.

“It was moving to witness the support this measure has, from the petition with over 5000 signatures to countless number of messages my colleagues and I received since the January gun and knife show was announced,” said Legislator Catherine Parker(D-Rye). “I was proud to be a part of this grassroots movement and vote yes on this important Act. Our County facilities are not intended to be used to invite dangerous weapons into our backyards,” continued Parker.

The Act will now be sent to the County Executive for his signature.

“I do not believe that County government should be promoting, encouraging, aiding and abetting the proliferation of guns in our community by using taxpayers’ buildings for guns shows,” said Legislator Lyndon Williams (D-Mount Vernon). “We must take a stand against the proliferation of guns in our community. These guns are not manufactured in our city. They are often purchased out-of-state at gun shops and gun shows with weak gun control laws and procedures. Westchester County should not be in the business of aiding and abetting the peddling of dangerous weapons,” concluded Williams.