ELKHORN — The Walworth County Board next week is expected to vote on withdrawing consideration of a proposal by Racine County to house a violent sex offender in Walworth County.
The about face, announced Monday, comes ahead of the County Board meeting Dec. 9 where a group opposed to the plan said they intended to present a petition calling for a halt to the proposal.
The update was published on the county’s Rumors vs. Facts page about the proposal. READ
The controversy stems from a request last June where Racine County asked Walworth County to consider allowing a temporary placement of a Racine County sexually violent person due to the potential availability of a housing option in Walworth County and the challenges that Racine County has faced in finding suitable housing for this individual within its own borders.
Prior to that, in 2023, Racine County requested that the state legislature consider modifying Chapter 980, the statute that addresses the care and treatment of individuals who meet the criteria for commitment as a sexually violent person, to allow placements of sexually violent persons outside their home counties.
The Walworth County Board also is expected to vote on providing guidance or direction to staff not to support a change in the statute.
The group Walworth Safety Collective has raised concerns over the two sites proposed for housing: one behind the county jail, the other on Hodges Road in Town of Lafayette.
The group earlier had announced it would present its petition opposing the proposal at the Dec. 9 board meeting.