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W-B’s McCarthy proposes the restricted areas be 500 feet from where kids congregate.

WILKES-BARRE – It appeared as though Jim McCarthy was finally going to give up on his proposed sexual offender ordinance after pushing it for several months without success.
A fellow council member told McCarthy at a recent meeting that people think he’s “nuts” for proposing the measure, which was introduced last summer and would restrict registered sex offenders from living in certain parts of the city.
Not long after, at a meeting last month, the seven-member board refused to second his motion to put it to a vote, killing the proposal.
After the meeting, McCarthy claimed he had taken the ordinance as far as he could and said if residents wanted the ordinance passed, they would have to voice their support before council.
None did.
But a refreshed McCarthy announced Thursday that he has revised the plan and is driven to get it passed.
“Maybe it won’t be the perfect protection, but it will be another step toward protecting our children,” he said.
Initially, McCarthy proposed that sex offenders registered under Megan’s Law would be prohibited from living within 1,500 feet any school, playground or child-care facility. That covered about 90 percent of the city and residents who lived in the pockets not covered complained.
McCarthy eventually reduced it to 1,000 feet and that was shot down. Now, he is proposing a restricted area of 500 feet from areas where children regularly congregate.
“I don’t care if they live 500 feet or five miles away, if they want to do it, they’re going to,” said Councilman Phil Latinski. “These people are sick. There’s no pill they can take that will cure them.”
Latinski said he has received no phone calls from anyone supporting the plan. He said all the residents he has spoken with are concerned they’ll live in an area not covered. He said the ordinance could open the city up to lawsuits and doubts it will protect children. Latinski said he believes most abused children are molested by relatives, not random perpetrators.
Councilwoman Kathy Kane said she still believes the issue is a state and federal matter, but said “500 feet is much better than 1,500.”
Kane said she will review the map McCarthy is preparing to see which areas would be covered and not covered before deciding if she’s for or against the plan.
Councilman Michael McGinley has called the plan “a feel-good ordinance,” that wouldn’t actually prevent attacks. Councilman Tony Thomas Jr. said people think McCarthy’s “nuts” for proposing it.
That comment and the struggle to pass the ordinance and others have McCarthy rethinking his desire to run for re-election, he said. He would run against Kane in the new voting format which will shrink council from seven to five members and have them elected by district.
McCarthy said he can’t understand the resistance he’s received, especially because several neighboring municipalities have passed similar ordinances.
He said he’s fielded “dozens of phone calls” supporting the plan and said a man handed him a petition containing 150 signatures from people who want it passed. He said he’s asked many residents to vocalize their support at meetings, but none have come.
“Sometimes when people say something members don’t like, they belittle them,” he said.