Oxford Schools? transportation department moved one of its bus stops in the Lake Villa Manufactured Home Community away from 221 Laurel Leah after it was discovered that a 31-year-old registered sex offender was living at that address.
The bus stop was moved from 221 Laurel Leah to 215 Laurel Leah after it was made known that Matthew Robert Hartwick, who was convicted of second-degree Criminal Sexual Conduct involving a person under the age of 13, was living at the residence.
‘I received a call from a parent requesting it to be moved,? said Char Podzikowski. ‘Once we looked into it, we immediately moved it.?
According to Michigan’s Offender Tracking Information System, Hartwick is currently on parole. He has been on the Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry since February 1998. He must remain listed on the registry until February 2023.
The Leader was made aware of the situation by a concerned citizen.
There are currently two bus stops on Laurel Leah, at 215 and 225. The stop at 215 is five houses down from Hartwick’s residence, while the stop at 225 is three houses down.
Because of the distance between bus stops in Lake Villa, moving them off Laurel Leah wasn’t considered at first.
But after speaking with Podzikowski, she indicated if parents are willing to move their kids to different stops within the park, she would be willing to remove the stops from Laurel Leah.