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OFFICIALS CALL FOR ADDITIONAL RESIDENCY RESEARCH

By Erin France/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Thursday, November 5, 2009 12:20 AM CST

More research will be needed before a decision is made on the city’s residency requirements, officials said Wednesday.

The Pine Bluff City Council’s administration committee met Wednesday morning and discussed the residency policy among other issues.

According to a 2000 ordinance, all department heads must live inside the city limits.

“I don’t think that the person that was hired should suffer the consequences,” said 1st Ward Alderman Irene Holcomb.

“That’s just my commentary.”

Robert Tucker, director of the inspection and zoning department, Albert Ridgell, the city collector, and Pine Bluff Police Chief John Howell do not live in the city limits.

A second ordinance, passed by the council in 2002, requires that police department personnel live in the state of Arkansas.

Past ordinances

Vickie Conaway, the city’s human resources director, said past ordinances tried to put residency requirements on all municipal employees.

“A lot of laws were thrown together,” said Mayor Carl A. Redus Jr.

He said he would like to see research on other residency laws.

“We don’t want to limit ourselves in getting good talent,” he said.

Second Ward Alderman Wayne Easterly, chair of the administration committee, said he doesn’t understand why department heads have a residency requirement if employees don’t.

“That makes no sense to me,” he said.

“The department head is ultimately responsible for what happens,” Holcomb said.

She said instead of a residency requirement, an occupational tax could be attached to those employees living outside the city limits.

“Live where you want to live,” she said.

Conaway said the law had been changed several times.

“That’s why I said we need to clean that up,” Redus said.

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