Weyauwega considers sex offender residency restrictions

WEYAUWEGA – City officials are gathering information on a potential sex offender residency restriction ordinance, though no draft ordinance has been created and no formal action has been taken.

The topic was discussed during Public Health and Relief Committee and City Council meetings last month as officials considered whether such an ordinance would be appropriate for the community.

City Clerk Becky Loehrke said the committee, council and police chief are gathering information from different groups and hope to have a draft ordinance together soon.

“At this stage, the city is in an information-gathering phase, looking at how similar ordinances have been implemented in other Wisconsin municipalities,” Loehrke said.

Sex offenders are people who have been convicted of sexual crimes and must be listed on the Wisconsin Sex Offender Registry. According to publicly available data, there are 191 registered sex offenders in Waupaca County. Of those, 11 reside in Weyauwega, including five who live within one mile of Weyauwega Elementary School.

Sex offender residency ordinances typically limit how close certain offenders can live to schools, parks, or child-care facilities, often requiring a minimum distance of 1,000 to 2,000 feet from locations where children or vulnerable people gather. Wisconsin law allows municipalities to enact these restrictions, and more than 150 communities statewide have adopted some form of the ordinance.

While most municipalities in Waupaca County do not have formal residency or activity restrictions for sex offenders, Manawa has an ordinance that prohibits registered sex offenders from loitering and from participating in holiday and community events involving children.

Manawa’s ordinance prohibits sex offenders from distributing candy on Halloween, wearing holiday costumes in the 30 days before Christmas or Easter, or engaging in similar activities that could entice contact with children. Exceptions are made for offenders who are the parent or legal guardian of a child involved in the activities, and for those who successfully appeal to the Manawa City Council. There are six registered sex offenders residing in Manawa, according to registry data.

When a sex offender is first released on parole or extended supervision, state law limits where the Department of Corrections (DOC) can place them: the county where they lived when the offense occurred, the county where they were convicted, or a sex offender treatment facility. The residency restriction only applies to initial placement, and the DOC can allow the offender to move to a different location. Sex offenders may live in any location in Wisconsin unless there is a law, ordinance or rule that specifically prohibits it.

In Weyauwega, the proposed ordinance is still in the draft stage. Once committee and council members finalize the language, it will be sent to the city attorney for review before returning to the city council for possible adoption.