MARINETTE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Violent sex offenders still need a place to live in Marinette County after the County Board of Supervisors voted to stop developments on a site that would’ve been used as transitional living.
Tuesday’s decision included three and a half hours of debate.
Matthew Lutze lives on Mudbrook Road in Marinette with his wife and children, just down the road from where the county was considering the development of a home for transitional living for Chapter 980 sex offenders, who are by definition, violent, repeat sex offenders.
“I’m a father and a husband when I go home. Protecting them is number one. I can’t feel comfortable in my own yard knowing that there could be someone watching them from a treeline waiting.”
Lutze was not the only neighbor concerned about this potential development.
“I have many great nieces and nephews, I want them to be able to play at our property. I hope to be a grandma someday. I want everyone to be safe. That just kind of ruined that,” nearby neighbor Laura Mcmahon said.
The board voted against the developments 28-2.
“I’m going to be able to sleep in peace at night knowing that this is not going to happen,” Mcmahon said.
“I’m so happy our community came together and showed that we weren’t going to accept that. That this just isn’t a good solution for the problem that was at hand,” Lutze said.
Lutze tells FOX 11 he hopes the county chooses a more urbanized area to develop the transitional living instead, like near the jail.
“I know that the Marinette city cops can get to the jail relatively quickly, their department isn’t very far away. Their response time would be great if it goes there.”
Mcmahon said, “There’s people that would observe anything going on inside that house. Out by us, who’s going to observe what’s going on?”
The county is under court order to come up with another plan.
County officials say they have until June.
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