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Outrage follows sex offenders to Marietta
Former lawmaker has three in his home
Intelligencer Journal
Published: Jul 09, 2008
02:03 EST
Marietta
By SUSAN E. LINDT, Staff

Mark Jardel, center, speaks at the Marietta Borough Council meeting Tuesday
 
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Concerned Marietta residents flooded a borough council meeting Tuesday to demand action against Tom Armstrong's halfway house for sex offenders.

Armstrong, a former state representative, moved three sex offenders into his own Marietta home after the program he started in Conestoga Township was ordered out because it did not comply with zoning ordinances.

Six weeks ago, more than 300 Conestoga residents piled into Conestoga Volunteer Fire Company's hall to protest the men's presence in their township.

Now, in a replay of that scene, Marietta residents blamed their police chief for not notifying residents that sex offenders had moved into the borough and blamed borough council for not acting quickly enough to keep Armstrong's sex offenders out in the first place.

Susquehanna Regional Police Chief Ed Haugh tried to explain that police are required to notify area residents of a sex offender's presence only if the offender is labeled a "sexually violent predator," a classification designated by a judge, not police.

He also tried to explain that announcing a sex offender's presence to neighbors might be deemed a violation of the offender's rights if the offender is not in a specific classification of sexual offender.

For their part, borough council members were tight-lipped Tuesday about the issue, on recommendation from borough solicitor Randy Moyer, but some council members defended the measures zoning officer Mark Harman took — namely a cease-and-desist order issued to Armstrong on June 16 notifying him that housing unrelated adults in his home at 704 Market St. is not permitted.

Armstrong has 30 days from the issuance of that order to appeal it to the borough's zoning hearing board or relocate the men again.

Armstrong was unavailable Tuesday night for comment. In a June 25 interview, he said no residents had complained about the men's presence at his home and that Marietta Borough had not taken any action against him.

He said he did not notify the borough when the men moved into his home in June, but he had been contacted by Harman.

Armstrong said a 20-year-old Supreme Court ruling supersedes the borough ordinance and gives him the right to house the men in his home.

"The Supreme Court ruled that three or less (adults) don't have to be regulated," Armstrong said in June. "It maybe has to be inspected, but special permission is not necessary."

Armstrong said he moved the men to his home temporarily while a permanent property for the program is being secured in Columbia. He expected the three men to be living at his home until the end of summer.

In the meantime, Marietta residents are experiencing the same shock expressed by Conestoga residents in May.

"So you're telling us until these men do something to our children you can't do anything?" resident Shelly Evans asked borough council Tuesday. "How can you sit there and say your hands are tied? You can't be telling this town your hands are tied."

Other residents took a decidedly less irate approach.

"Federal laws won't permit (borough council) to do anything," resident Mary Churchill said. "It's not these people's fault. There's nothing they can do."

In the June interview, Armstrong said he didn't notify Marietta Borough about moving the men to his home because he wasn't required to — and because when he notified Conestoga Township about locating his program there, residents harassed him and the men in the program.

"You know people are going to get upset with sex offenders living next to them, so why walk in there with a flag and say, 'Hey, we're here'? There are enough problems already," Armstrong said. "And if I want to paint my house a different color, should I go around to all my neighbors and tell them I'm doing it? I want to do the right thing, and I have done the right thing morally, ethically and by the law."

Armstrong said he trusts the men he chose for his program, he does not take any federal or state money to operate his program and that the men need somewhere to live after fulfilling their prison sentences.

Armstrong, who is the father of a minor daughter, said she and his wife are staying outside the area with an ailing relative.

Three of six registered sex offenders living in Marietta Borough live in Armstrong's residence, according to the state police Megan's Law Web site.

E-mail: slindt@lnpnews.com


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Did anyone consider that sex offenders could own cars. They could leave their neighborhoods and travel great distances. Safety is an illusion, The sex offender that lives a block away is just as dangerous as the one that lives 10 miles away. In fact you are probably safer because your level of alertness is raised. You need to keep an eye out for you kids no matter what. This mob rule needs to stop these people have served their time and need a place to live.

"A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it." Tommy Lee Jones MIB
russ257
QUOTE(russ257 @ Jul 14 2008, 03:57 PM)
In fact you are probably safer because your level of alertness is raised.

Exactly, that is why we want to be informed. Did you mean to say the above? I ask because it goes against everything else you said in your post. I don't believe anyone is under the impression if you know the offenders in your area, then you are totally safe. We just want to know about the obvious dangers and then use common sense and dogged responsibility for our own children at all times. We need all the tools available to keep our children safe.
QUOTE(russ257 @ Jul 14 2008, 03:57 PM)
This mob rule needs to stop these people have served their time and need a place to live.


My child needs a place to live too and he never was convicted of a crime or did time. I care about his needs first.

dee
QUOTE(russ257 @ Jul 14 2008, 03:57 PM)
This mob rule needs to stop these people have served their time and need a place to live.


Then let them live next to you and ruin your property values...

Milton
OK...here's the deal. At the meeting in Conestoga, an audience member queried Armstrong (I'm having trouble with the prefix "Mr."...which in my mind has attributes of virtue, integrity, honor, etc. - Something Armstrong has not shown) about how much he gets for the "placement" of each of these men. The audience member said he heard Armstrong gets $900 per man. Armstrong stated he wanted to have a total of 6 units that house 5 men apiece. (A total of 30 possible sex offenders in one small community) "Simple mathematics tells everyone you will receive $27,000 a month for these guys." Of course the audience was outraged. Armstrong's response was, "Those numbers are greatly inflated." When queried further what the true number is...he stated, "It's none of your business." After the meeting, Armstrong was overheard saying he won't make any money until his 12th to 15th man is "placed".

The final "question" of the evening came from a gentleman who held up his government incentive check stating, "I'll give you my check if you move these guys out of town." What do you think Armstrong said? "I'll take your check." Although he MIGHT have said it humorously...it made a bold statement to the fine people of Conestoga that this man "in some manipulative way" is all about the money. He added that the home next to him is for sale - but, somehow conveniently - he can't afford it.

He's been in public office long enough for people to know where he lives in Marietta. It is a LARGE house with plenty of room to house his family & his "in ill-health" relative. For Christ's sake...why doesn't he bring the ill member of his family into his home where they can be taken care of 24/7 by his entire family? Instead...he deports his wife and minor daughter to house half the sex offenders in Marietta. Men...in his own words at the meeting in Conestoga..that HE alone deemed "safe". How long has he known these men? How long has he known his "in ill-health" family member? And yet...he takes these men into his home instead of his own family member?? And this man (?) is being moral & honourable? Something's terribly amiss.
bofadem
QUOTE(bofadem @ Jul 14 2008, 05:47 PM)

OK...here's the deal. At the meeting in Conestoga, an audience member queried Armstrong (I'm having trouble with the prefix "Mr."...which in my mind has attributes of virtue, integrity, honor, etc. - Something Armstrong has not shown) about how much he gets for the "placement" of each of these men. The audience member said he heard Armstrong gets $900 per man. Armstrong stated he wanted to have a total of 6 units that house 5 men apiece. (A total of 30 possible sex offenders in one small community) "Simple mathematics tells everyone you will receive $27,000 a month for these guys." Of course the audience was outraged. Armstrong's response was, "Those numbers are greatly inflated." When queried further what the true number is...he stated, "It's none of your business." After the meeting, Armstrong was overheard saying he won't make any money until his 12th to 15th man is "placed".

The final "question" of the evening came from a gentleman who held up his government incentive check stating, "I'll give you my check if you move these guys out of town." What do you think Armstrong said? "I'll take your check." Although he MIGHT have said it humorously...it made a bold statement to the fine people of Conestoga that this man "in some manipulative way" is all about the money. He added that the home next to him is for sale - but, somehow conveniently - he can't afford it.

He's been in public office long enough for people to know where he lives in Marietta. It is a LARGE house with plenty of room to house his family & his "in ill-health" relative. For Christ's sake...why doesn't he bring the ill member of his family into his home where they can be taken care of 24/7 by his entire family? Instead...he deports his wife and minor daughter to house half the sex offenders in Marietta. Men...in his own words at the meeting in Conestoga..that HE alone deemed "safe". How long has he known these men? How long has he known his "in ill-health" family member? And yet...he takes these men into his home instead of his own family member?? And this man (?) is being moral & honourable? Something's terribly amiss.


Wow, Bo, what a great first post!!! Information galore -- and FIRST HAND to boot! Woo-hoo! Welcome to LOL. And thanks for the info. Very enlightening.
AngelFace
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