Council OK’s first reading of predatory regulations
The New Prague City Council held its first reading of its Predatory Offender Residency Regulations ordinance during its Monday, Feb. 6, meeting. The proposed ordinance is to set up regulations for where Level III predatory offenders can live. The council approved 4-1 a motion setting up a 1,500-foot setback from vulnerable adult housing, the library, parks, churches and schools. Not included in the setback are licensed daycares.
The council’s discussion on the ordinance follows many communities that have recently enacted residency regulations. Those ordinances stem from a state case where a judge found 725 offenders were being kept in a flawed program. The state appealed the judge’s decision, which was recently overturned.
Mayor Chuck Nickolay suggested the setback without licensed daycares, noting how some come and go and it would require a redrawing of the map. He said they had tabled a decision from their Tuesday, Jan. 17, meeting so they could have a full council. He believed that the council was in agreement to move forward with the ordinance.
Council member Dave Bruzek disagreed, explaining his opinion hadn’t changed from the previous meeting. “I don’t think the ordinance is a good idea,” he said. He had strong feelings that the....
To see more on this story pick up the February 9, 2017 print edition of The New Prague Times.