Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Sex Offender Ordinance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Mayor says proposed sex-offender residency ordinance was sent for drafting amid concerns about unintended effects
Summary
Alderperson Michael Timm's proposed ordinance on residency restrictions and expanded safe zones was sent to the city attorney for drafting; Mayor Matt Zacher warned strict residency limits could push registered offenders to stop registering and said the draft will return to the legislative committee for consideration.
Host Melissa Kay asked about an ordinance proposed by Alderperson Michael Timm that would create residency restrictions and expanded "safe zones" around schools and parks. Mayor Matt Zacher said the proposal raised legitimate safety concerns but also practical risks.
"If you put in restrictions to say you can't live here, you can't live here, well, if they're still going to live there, they're not going to register now and we're not going to know where they are," Zacher said, warning that overly strict residency limits could push people to go "underground" and reduce officials’ ability to track registered offenders.
Zacher said the council sent the proposal back to the city attorney to produce a draft ordinance; staff is using a template referred to as "Mac 1" to guide the legal language. He said the draft will come back to the legislative committee, which will decide whether to advance it as an ordinance.
The mayor framed the issue as a balance between community safety and the practical effects of residency restrictions. He urged the council to weigh the risk that stricter local rules might reduce registration compliance against the public-safety goals behind expanded safe zones.
No vote or final ordinance text was reported in the interview; the item remains in the drafting and committee-review stage.
