Politics & Government

Borough Council Votes to Repeal Sex Offender Ordinance

An ordinance that limited where convicted sex offenders could live within the borough of Hellertown was legally unenforceable, according to an attorney for the borough.

Following legal advice, Hellertown Borough Council recently voted 4-3 to repeal the borough's sex offender ordinance, which limited where convicted sex offenders could live.

Borough council solicitor Michael Corriere had previously advised council that the ordinance was legally unenforceable, and he reiterated that advice at a meeting earlier this month.

In court, "(the borough) would not have much of a leg to stand on, because we know it’s not enforceable," Corriere said.

Still, several council members said they would oppose repealing the ordinance on moral grounds.

Councilmen Tom Rieger and Mike McKenna, and councilwoman Gail Nolf voted in favor of keeping the ordinance on the books, while resulted in a tie vote, since council members Joe Pampanin and Richard Staffieri and council vice president John Bate voted to remove the restriction, and council president Phil Weber was absent.

Mayor Richard Fluck cast the tie-breaking vote that struck down the ordinance.


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