Unveiling of marker a first for Coshocton
By: Kathy Dickerson Coshocton will be a first this week when Mayor Turner accepts a plaque from members of Citizens Against Sexually Oriented Offenders. "It's a beautiful monument," Turner said. The unvieling of a marker to remember those who have been victims of sexual abuse will take place at 11 a.m Thursday July 12, at the steps of the Coshocton City Municipal Court entrance,760,Chestnut St, said CASOO member Mindy Tipton. Please note the paper stated Reps would be at this function and we recieved a call from Lisa Duvall who regretfully could not be there but will meet with us on Monday at 5:30 to see the memorial. It is the goal of CASOO to erect a plaque in each of Ohio's 88 counties, and arraingements have already been made for installations in Muskingum, Licking, and Franklin counties, Tipton said. CASOO was formed a couple years ago and since then has been busy in the area, lobbying for harsher sentences for convicted sex offenders and closer monitoring once they have been released from jail. CASOO was successful in convincing Coshocton City Council to pass an ordinance restricting how close a convicted offender can live to where children are moslt likely to be, such as schools and parks. The organization has also lobbied for a Human Relations Commission to act as a mediator between citizens and local government. Coshocton City Council held the first reading on the ordinance to form the committee this week. The goals of the commission are to: promote mutual understanding and respect among all racial,religious, nationalities, cultural and ethic groups in the city of Coshocton and suggests ways to prevent discriminatory practices against such behavior: to work with community organizations to develop programs and educational campaigns devoted to the elimination of group predjudice racil or neighborhood tensions,: to conduct research on the status and treatment of racial, religious and ethnic groups in the city: and to enforce the city of Coshocton Human Relations Code. CASOO has also established a shelter in Coshocton where victims of abuse can go in times of need. We want to make sure they're safe and the children are safe until a more permanent home can be found," Tipton said.