In its first meeting with new Council members Dick Stewart, Debra Schneck and new Mayor Lewis Key, the Council unanimously passed a resolution objecting to the location.

The resolution stated “better locations are Yakima, Spokane or Seattle, which have greater resources for mental health outreach, law enforcement response and project supervision and oversight.”

The resolution, drafted by the Milton-Freewater Police Department, said the region is already doing more than its fair share to house or rehabilitate sexual offenders, with Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution, Two Rivers Correctional Institution and the Walla Walla State Penitentiary.

Umatilla County currently has 213 registered sex offenders and Walla Walla County has more than 100, the resolution said.

Myron Huie and Dorothy Werttemberger from Enough is Enough, a Walla Walla citizen’s group opposing the predator housing, addressed the Council regarding their concerns.

“I personally got involved because I have nine grandkids, including four who live just outside the one mile red zone,” Werttemberger said. “We’re just citizens who have a goal to stop this halfway house in Walla Walla. I hope to God we can work together and stop this from coming into our community.”

Huie said statistically there was a 64 percent chance of the types of criminals located within the home from re-offending within a 30-mile radius.

“We have a time bomb that we can’t control,” Huie said. “We need your support; Athena, Weston, Dayton, everybody.”

A Jan. 24 meeting was scheduled at the Walla Walla High School for the Washington Department of Social and Health Services to explain its decision to make Walla Walla the number one choice for the halfway house.

“We’re trying to show DSHS that a valley of 55,000 can make a massive turnout,” Huie said. “The meeting isn’t just for residents of Walla Walla. I’d urge anybody opposed to this to attend.”

Mike Onstott, a Milton-Freewater resident, urged the community to get behind the organization’s goals.

“They also go after three and four-year-old children,” Onstott said about sexual predators. “If you’ve got grandchildren stop and think about it. I think we should support this.”