Sex Offender Motel Out of Commission

June 13, 2006 -- A controversial practice ended Tuesday night in Camden County, New Jersey. It involved the housing of registered sex offenders at a motel near several schools.

The motel located along the White Horse Pike in Barrington was the subject of packed town council meeting Tuesday night.

Residents in Barrington showed up en-masse and they were ready for war if council did not take action against convicted sex offenders who are homeless and are being placed by Camden County at the Barrington Motel on White Horse Pike.

For two years now, residents have expressed outrage upon learning the county was placing homeless convicted sex offenders at the Barrington Motel which is near an elementary school. For two years they've been raising cane with borough council.

Back in December, the council passed an ordinance banning the placement of convicted sex offenders within 2500 feet of a school, park, playground or day care center, which would basically make any place in this small borough off limits. Camden County's board of social services was placing them at the motel anyway citing complexities of the law. But in a surprising development, the county announced the suspension of any further placements of sex offenders in Barrington, as well as the Hillside Motel in Cherry Hill, and the Travel Lodge in Atco.

In addition, Tuesday night, council unanimously voted to use imminent domain laws to take possession of the Barrington Motel along with four other properties and plans to demolish them for re-development purposes.

So barring any unforeseen developments, the borough of Barrington will assume ownership of the Barrington Motel and four other properties along the White Horse Pike on August 1st. It will be a day many here had been waiting for. The mayor himself wishes he could be on the bulldozer that brings the motel down.

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