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Resident warns council of legal challenge over ordinance he says is being enforced early
Summary
A member of the public told the council he believes a new ordinance effective January 2027 is already being enforced and said he will pursue legal action unless the city modifies or removes the ordinance; he described interactions with an Assistant Chief of Police named Mark and said he plans to seek court relief.
During the public‑comment period, a resident who identified himself as Todd Williams spoke about a forthcoming ordinance that the speaker said takes effect in January 2027. Williams alleged the Hearst Police Department was enforcing aspects of that ordinance before its effective date and said such enforcement would violate due process. "The city and the law enforcement are violating constitutional rights," Williams said, citing the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, and added he would file lawsuits seeking declaratory and injunctive relief if the ordinance is not removed or modified.
Williams said he was released from prison in 2016, has been going through a deregistration process, and described being told by an Assistant Chief of Police (named Mark in the transcript) that he could be arrested if he attempted to move into housing prior to the ordinance's effective date. He also said he had experienced harassment and had carried cameras for his protection. The council record shows the comment was made under the public‑comment rules; the transcript does not record any council response or a staff report addressing the allegations during the meeting.
