City of Springfield considers pausing its residency requirement

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Springfield City Council is considering whether to do away with a rule that requires city employees to live in city limits.

"All because we want Springfield jobs to be by Springfield people," Roy Williams, Jr., Alderman of Ward 3, argued Tuesday night at City Council.

But aldermen are considering putting a moratorium on the rule to help fill important open jobs.

"There's also an urgency in the police department, the fire department, because we used to get 1,000 people to come take those tests. Guess what — we're getting dozens now, and half of those aren't making it because they can't pass the test," Alderman Chuck Redpath, of Ward 1, added.

Leaders want to see if they can recruit the best and brightest by opening up applications beyond the city limits.

"If it's difficult to get someone who lives in Auburn or Pawnee to move their house, but they're the best employee for us, are we doing our city and our residents a service by denying them the best applicable candidate," Alderwoman Erin Conley, Ward 8, asked.

They said families should be able to choose the school district, neighborhood and property they want.

"We are losing lineman like crazy. We've got a large group that is retiring, that will be retiring, and when they get hired they go through school and they've got their choice. They can go to Ameren where they can live wherever they want," Alderman Ralph Hanauer of Ward 10 explained.

But some worry the move is shortsighted to the long term success of the city.

"This is maybe a short term situation that we're facing. Let's not destroy a working ordinance that will work into the future," Springfield resident George Tinkham said.

There are also financial concerns about allowing city employees to move outside the taxing district.

"We're sending our wealth outside the city to be spent outside of our city and we're losing some middle class backbone," Former Alderman Joe McMenamin said.

The alderman are expected to vote on the moratorium the first week of November. They're asking for input from voters until then.

WAND News will continue following this developing story.