In 3-2 Vote, City Council Declines to House Sex Offenders at Nome’s Halfway House
![The Seaside Center is owned and operated by Geo Reentry Services, which purchased and renovated the new facility for more than $4 million. Photo: Laura Kraegel, KNOM.](https://knom.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/2016-05-17-untitled-001-2432px-1200x900.jpg)
After more than an hour of discussion, the Nome City Council decided not to allow sex offenders who are actively receiving treatment to stay at the Seaside halfway house.
City Council May Finally Resolve Debate: Should Sex Offenders Be Housed at Seaside?
![With new members Adam Martinson and Doug Johnson sworn into office, the 2017 City Council poses together.](https://knom.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/City-Council-2017-1200x851.jpg)
AMCC’s superintendent, Sandra Martinson, explained during the last City Council meeting that the plan is for sex offenders to serve most of their sentence in a jail or other facility before being transferred to Seaside for treatment. The regular City Council meeting begins Monday at 7pm in City Hall.
City Council Discussion on Sex Offenders at Seaside Continues; Final Decision Yet to Be Made
![The Council discussed housing sex offenders at Seaside during its latest regular meeting. Photo Credit: Davis Hovey, KNOM (2017)](https://knom.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/City-Council-1127-1200x900.jpg)
The Council was split three-to-three on an ordinance to change the Nome Code of Ordinances to allow sex offenders who are actively receiving treatment to be housed at Seaside. The tiebreaker vote came to Mayor Richard Beneville, who voted yes in favor of moving the ordinance on to the second reading phase.
Should Sex Offenders Be Housed at Seaside? D.O.C. Commissioner and Others Weigh In
![D.O.C. Commissioner Dean Williams, AMCC Superintendent Sandy Martinson, Nome City Councilmen, and others gathered for a town hall meeting regarding sex offenders being housed at Seaside. Photo Credit: Davis Hovey, KNOM (2017)](https://knom.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Town-Hall-Meeting-1200x1023.jpg)
AMCC Superintendent Sandy Martinson says that, on average, between 20 and 40 inmates are housed at Seaside regularly. To fill all 60 beds, the proposed plan is to allow convicted sex offenders to stay at the facility. According to the Chief Mental Health Officer for the D.O.C., Adam Rutherford, currently nine untreated sex offenders reside in the community of Nome.