Community discusses ordinance banning minors from ‘adult live performances’ at parks & rec meeting

PUTNAM COUNTY, W.Va. (WOWK) – A hot-button issue passed in a controversial county ordinance last month is still being discussed at public meetings in Putnam County.

An ordinance was passed by the Putnam County Commission in a unanimous vote on June 27, 2023, to ban minors from attending what the commissioners are calling “adult live performances” in parts of the county.

While the topic was not on the agenda for tonight’s regularly scheduled Putnam County Parks and Recreation Board meeting, community members on both sides of the ordinance came out to voice their opinions. Local leaders said before the meeting even started that they expected a crowd to show up regarding the issue.

A member of the board tells WOWK 13 News they would have to wait until the City of Hurricane has their next city meeting before they can address the issue, and legally the board will have to follow any ordinance the city would put forward.

The controversy began in June regarding a pride event held at Valley Park in Hurricane. Even before the event, a community member complained at a commission meeting saying it was “inappropriate” to have this event in a public place. At that point, Putnam County Commission President Andy Skidmore responded to the concern saying he wasn’t in favor of the event and would address the concern at a later date, leading to the ordinance passed later that month, after the event had already taken place.

According to the new ordinance, anyone under the age of 18 would be prevented from attending a live performance defined as “obscene and depicting sexual or lewd conduct” in unincorporated communities in the county. Anyone who violates the ordinance would be subject to a maximum of a $500 penalty or up to 30 days in a county or regional jail. A second offense would result in a $1,000 fine.

Those opposed to the ordinance and attended the event say nothing “obscene” happened at the pride event, and they even had police officers monitoring the event. Those in favor of the ordinance stated the ordinance is more about keeping children from attending drag shows because they believe they should be an “adults only” event, and not against the pride event last month itself. The pride event was a public event and did include a drag show.

The ordinance does not include events in towns or cities, but according to Skidmore, this would affect more than half the population in the county which is unincorporated. This means the new rule does not include places like Valley Park in Hurricane city limits, which is the main location and center of the controversy.