Concern that sexual offenders were coming into the Quitman Public Library, the Quitman City Council approved a sex offender registry ordinance last Thursday.

The ordinance restricts where registered sex offenders can live and where they can be present.

City Attorney Jim McLeroy said that registered sex offenders who already reside in Quitman would be grandfathered to remain at their residence, but would be restricted if they relocate.

The list of Child Safety Zones that sex offenders would be restricted from includes the library, public parks, schools, amusement arcades, centers and parks, public or commercial/semiprivate swimming pools, child care facilities, youth soccer/baseball fields, scouting facilities, CPS offices and more.

Police Chief John Farmer said his officers are tasked with checking the residences to make sure registered offenders are residing where they have reported.

Relocating without reporting the change is a criminal offense, he noted.

Offenders are required to register their residences with the state, which provides a public online data base.

Among the concerns expressed by Librarian Delene Allen was offenders using the library’s public computers for internet access in violation of their terms of release or probation.

McLeroy pointed out that while home rule cities have been able to have such ordinances for many years, general law cities like Quitman have been able to do so only for 6-8 years, but he was surprised the city had not already approved one.

It passed unanimously.

The council thanked McLeroy for his years of service as city attorney, serving Quitman for 16 years.

He is retiring and moving out of state.