Whanganui mayor Annette Main believes the $100,000 a year spent on keeping convicted sex offender Stewart Murray Wilson under control should do the job.
The man dubbed "the Beast of Blenheim" for his cruel sex crimes against women, children and animals over 25 years will be released to live in a small house outside the fence of Whanganui Prison, 10km out of town, next month.
He faces the most stringent release conditions of any prisoner ever released in New Zealand history - including GPS tracking - as experts believe the unrepentant 65-year-old will reoffend.
If Wilson steps out of line he will be sent back to prison.
A public "Banish the Beast" protest meeting will be held in Whanganui on Sunday, organised by local councillors concerned about Whanganui's safety.
In an unfortunate irony, Ms Main said she would not be in town on Sunday but in Wellington promoting Whanganui to a women's lifestyle convention.
She told NZ Newswire that while not happy with the move, she was impressed by the work the Corrections Department had put into the problem.
Wilson would essentially still be in prison and it appeared highly unlikely he could offend with the conditions imposed on him, she said.
"If that plan works 100 per cent and he sticks to his conditions I can't see how anyone could be in danger."
Ms Main has said Wilson will not be part of the Whanganui community.
She did not think he would come into Whanganui and would get one of his minders to do his shopping for him.
It was unfortunate that Whanganui fitted the criteria to house Wilson - none of his 33 victims live in the area - and if he was not in Whanganui he would have to go to another community, Ms Main said.
"I am not sure I would wish that on any community in New Zealand."
People had aired their safety concerns with her, but Ms Main said she had not heard of anyone making threats against Wilson.
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