Back to square one
LISA HOBBS - News Editor
Justin Scott was sworn in as interim city administrator during last night’s McMinnville Board of Mayor and Alderman meeting. Then, members debated residency for anyone holding that position permanently in the future.
Board members went back and forth on a proposed change to Municipal Code that would allow future administrators six months to move into the city, as opposed to three, and include an exception to the residency requirement at the discretion of the board.
Alderman Kara Youngblood, who previously voiced her desire to retain the residency requirement, proposed a different amendment. She made a motion to keep the 90 days intact, keep the city residency requirement, and allow exceptions by the board on a case-by-case basis.
“I’m having a really hard time with this,” Youngblood stated. “It’s not personal in any way to anyone applying for this job. Obviously, before we were on this board, it was determined by the board that it’s important for someone who’s going to lead all of the departments to be a city resident. It [a move] can be done in 90 days.”
She added, “We need buy-in. We need them to pay city taxes. We need them to use city services. So, if their trash isn’t getting picked up, they are experiencing it, too. Drive the city roads. Be here during nights and weekends. We’re here. The last city administrator was here. I think it’s important that they are here, as soon as they can be.”
Mayor Ryle Chastain opposed.
“I don’t even like that,” Chastain stated. “We have applicants who live in Warren County, and I don’t think it’s reasonable to expect them to just sell their home and move into the city limits, just because they are city administrator.”
He added, “If they’ve owned their house for 15 years and have a 2.5 percent interest rate and they have to go buy a more expensive home with triple or quadruple the interest rate, that’s not fair. The ordinance was written a long time ago and before we are in the economic state that we are. Cities, counties, municipalities change their codes and ordinances all the time.”
Youngblood questioned, “So, you don’t think its important for someone to live in the city?”
“I think it’s important to live in the county, but certainly not outside Warren County,” replied Chastain.
City department directors are not required to live inside the city of McMinnville. It was argued by Chastain that the same leniency should be given to the city administrator.
Alderman Rachel Kirby stated that with the drastic difference in the market from what it was just 10 years ago that maybe the board should take that into consideration.
Youngblood’s motion, which would require city residency, failed 2-5. Youngblood garnered the support of Alderman Sally Brock. Voting against were Chastain, Kirby and Aldermen Deitra Dunlap, Keri Morton and Steve Harvey.
Chastain made a motion to “scrape” the residency requirement entirely but keep the timeframe to move into Warren County at 90 days. That motion passed 6-1, with Youngblood voting against.
Because officials changed the originally proposed amendment to Municipal Code, the process must begin again. The measure, with Chastain’s motion, will be brought before the board during its next session in the form of an ordinance.