The fate of a measure that would change residency requirements for Poplar Bluff city employees remains undecided after a strongly worded opposition Monday from the Ward 5 council representative.
The item was tabled to the June 1 city council meeting, with representatives Shane Cornman and Lisa Parson saying they needed time to learn more about the matter.
Council member Robert Smith of Ward 5 said Monday he didn’t believe a proposal of allowing city employees to live 45 miles from the Butler County border made sense, and specifically for the fire department.
Both Smith and council member at-large Chris Taylor voted against the effort to table the item. The decision to table the item was supported by Mayor Steve Davis, Mayor pro tem Shane Cornman and representatives Parson and Barbara Horton. Council member Jerrica Fox of Ward 2 was absent.
“Suppose we have a major fire, pray that we don’t, and it would take someone in excess of 45 minutes to get here,” Smith said. “Even in law enforcement and any other department, when we allow those folks to live that far out and do a service to our community, I think we’re cutting our own nose off.
“I cannot and will not support this.”
Both the current and former city fire chiefs have also spoken out against the proposal.
Leaders of the union that represents firefighters have said they support the change. They believe it would help with the recruitment of new people.
Members of the police department have also said relaxing residency requirements could be used as a tool for recruitment.
The proposal would allow all employees except those in Municipal Utilities, heads of departments and the city manager to live within 45 minutes of the Butler County border. Employees would also have to live within the state.
Employees are currently required to live within Butler County, except Municipal Utilities, which requires its staff to live within a 12-mile radius of the Westwood Boulevard and Pine Street intersection.
In other business, the council also:
• Approved a change order for a runway project at the Poplar Bluff Regional Business Airport to allow for cement soil stabilization. According to city engineers, the change order is needed to prevent delays due to wet weather. The airport will be closed for 30 days for the project.
• Approved a change to city plumbing codes regarding materials that can be used for sewer lines.
• Approved the annexation of 700 Shelby Road into the city, zoned as C-2 General Commercial. The property is owned by Bell Real Estate.
• Approved a measure authorizing the city to apply for the designation of “Tree City USA” from the Arbor Day Foundation.
• Approved the annexation into the city limits of 2893 Reno Drive, owned by Oak Grove Plaza.