ALVARADO — The glossy yellow "Sex Offender Residence" signs have become as much a part of Halloween in Alvarado as ghost and goblin decorations.
But that aspect of one of the state's most restrictive sex offender ordinances is now facing new scrutiny after a lawsuit was threatened.
For the past few years, sex offenders residing within city limits have been required to post two signs outside of their primary residences each Halloween.
Mike Weeks is one of about a dozen registered offenders in town. He lives with his mother in a home she has had for nearly 50 years. In 1998, he was sentenced to 10 years' probation for assaulting a 14-year-old girl.
"There are murderers out there that don't have to have signs up," he said. "Here, I got to."
The Alvarado ordinance actually requires offenders to post notice the night before Halloween — and on October 31 — from 4 to 11 p.m. or face the threat of a $2,000 fine.
"We know there are crazy people out there, and we know your life can be in danger any minute," said Rose Weeks, Mike's mother. "Last year, I had neighbors come and sit with me. I was scared."
The Weeks family retained attorney Richard Gladden last week. He fired off a letter to the city, and pointed out that according to previous interpretations of Texas law, cities under 5,000 people are restricted when it comes to how they can regulate sex offenders.
"There are definitely some other cities that have general sex offender residency issues that are smaller," Gladden said. "But this is the only place [around here] that has the Halloween sign component."
City Manager Clint Davis confirmed to WFAA they won't enforce the sign aspect of their ordinance this weekend.
The city council will address the issue at their November meeting. Davis said the city isn't conceding that the law is wrong — they simply want to gather more input.
Kellie Howington, a grandmother who lives on the north side of Alvarado, said the sex offender signs are an important part of keeping children safe.
"I really don't see anything wrong with it," she said. "If they aren't up, somebody could be next door — that type — and we have no idea about it."
Howington said she hopes her neighbors continue to check online at the state's sex offender registry to see if any offenders live near them.
State law prevents registered sex offenders on probation from participating in Halloween events, including trick-or-treating and putting up decorations.
