City to hold hearing on youth curfew
By Lori Mellinger editor@bullardnews.com

City leaders will hold an two open forums for the public to make certain citizens are aware of ordinance and possible enforcement on a youth curfew.

The curfew is tentatively set from midnight to 6 a.m. on weekdays and weekends.

"There would be exceptions, of course," said Bullard City Manager Larry Morgan.

The ordinance would apply to anyone under 17.

Those accompanied by a parent or guardian would be exempt - as would those who are coming home from or headed to a job.

"Curfew ordinances are designed to protect young adults," he said. "It's not a punitive thing."

Morgan said statistics prove that curfews work - often curbing criminal mischief and vandalism.

"It also keeps young people off the streets at dangerous times," he said.

Specific details of the proposed ordinance states:

! The council has determined there has been an increase in juvenile criminal activities in the city;

! Persons under 17 are particularly suspectible by their lack of maturity and experience to participate in unlawful activities and to be victims of older perpetrators of crime;

! The city council of Bullard desires to provide for the protection of juveniles from each other and from other persons, for the enforcement of parental control of and responsibility for their children, for the protection of the general public and for the reduction of the incidence of juvenile criminal activities; and

! This curfew for persons under 17 will be in the interest of the public health, safety and general welfare and will help attain the foregoing objectives and diminish the undesirable impact of such conduct on the citizens of Bullard.

The meeting is set for 6 p.m. April 8 and May 13 at Bullard City Hall, 114 S. Phillips St.

For more information, call city hall at 903- 894-7223.

"We encourage any citizens with questions to attend the meetings," Morgan said.

If you go: