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Council weighs 'Obstructing Public Places' ordinance, moves measure to June 15 vote
Summary
Councilman David Boyer presented a proposed amendment to Chapter 210 to regulate obstructing public places; City Attorney Mark Richardson said it meets legal standards but would not criminalize panhandling or apply on private property; council moved the item to the June 15 voting session.
At the June 1 meeting the Poplar Bluff City Council considered an amendment to Chapter 210 (Public Places), Section 210.720, intended to address obstructing public places.
Councilman David Boyer read the proposed ordinance aloud for the council and audience. The draft ordinance would add prohibitions on aggressive solicitation, location restrictions and roadway restrictions, and provide for civil enforcement by the police department.
City Attorney Mark Richardson told the council he had reviewed the draft and said it "conforms to all requirements he would recommend from a legal point of view," noting that the measure would not criminalize panhandling and cannot be enforced on purely private property. Residents raised concerns about scope and enforcement: Greg West questioned why the proposal would not apply to solicitations on private property that has public access, and Jim Chrisman emphasized that officers must observe offenses before penalties apply.
City Manager Lori J. Phelps described a privately funded program called "Return to Home," saying donations would flow through a charitable organization to help people who choose to return to their home communities. The council voted to move the ordinance to the June 15 voting session for final action.
The minutes record the legal limits discussed (no enforcement on private property absent additional statute or ordinance) and note a mix of council and resident questions about enforcement and programmatic alternatives.
