City council reviews first draft of ban ordinance

By Marda Johnson/The Lebanon Reporter

Lebanon September 15, 2009 01:13 am

— Lebanon’s city council members have reviewed the first draft of an ordinance that would ban registered sex offenders from Lebanon city parks.
Lebanon City Attorney Eileen Sims presented the draft ordinance Monday, and explained that it included a provision for an appeals process, similar to a process that is being done in Jeffersonville.
The proposed ordinance is based on Plainfield’s ordinance, which was challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union, in a November 2005 lawsuit filed on behalf of a registered sex offender identified only as John Doe. Earlier this summer, the Indiana Supreme Court declined to overturn Plainfield’s ordinance.
The idea of passing a ban here was raised by Lebanon City Councilman Brent Wheat in July, but the council delayed any action until they learned Indiana Supreme Court’s response to Plainfield’s ordinance.
After reviewing the draft of the Lebanon ordinance, Wheat expressed some concern that adding the ability to appeal could invite a lawsuit if some were granted permission to be in city parks, and others weren’t, but Sims said that the appeal would require the person to meet certain criteria outlined in the draft ordinance.

For the full story, see Tuesday's Lebanon Reporter.