During their meeting Monday, Williamston Town Council approved first reading on an ordinance prohibiting convicted sex offenders from being in town owned parks and recreation areas.
The ordinance is in response to a situation last week in which Williamston Mayor Rockey Burgess and Police Chief Kevin Marsee made the decision to close Mineral Spring Park after social media posts raised concerns of a registered sex offender being allowed to participate in a music and worship event being held in the park.
Comments from “protesters” escalated to the point that the mayor and police chief felt there was the possibility of a confrontation between protesters and the ministry group and those attending the event in the park.
The “Williamston Sex Offender Park Restriction Ordinance” states that the Town of Williamston finds and determines that the health, safety and welfare of the citizens, particularly children, of Williamston require protection from individuals convicted of certain sex offenses.
It also states: the State of South Carolina maintains a Sex Offender Registry pursuant to Title 23, Chapter 3 of the SC Code of Laws and requires certain convicted sex offenders to register with law enforcement and imposeses restrictions on where certain convicted sex offenders may reside relative to schools, parks and other locations, but does not expressly address presence of loitering in city-owned parks and recreation areas.
The ordinance states: It is within the Town’s lawful authority to adopt reasonable regulations governing the use of Town owned property to protect the public health and safety.
City Parks and Recreational Areas includes all land, facilities, trails, playgrounds, athletic fields, open space and related amenities owned and operated by the Town of Williamston for public recreational use.
The ordinance makes it unlawful for any convicted sex offender to knowingly enter, remain in, loiter in or otherwise be present in any city parks and recreational areas at all times including or during special events.
Mayor Burgess questioned wording in the ordinance and suggested it include property leased by the town, such as the town ballfields which are leased from Anderson School District One.
Burgess pointed out that state law addresses where a convicted sex offender can “reside” but does not address where a sex offender can go. He said the decision to close the park was his alone.
Neighboring Towns of Pelzer and West Pelzer are also in the process of approving similar ordinances.
