DEANA STROISCH
The State Journal-Register
A group called Springfield Citizens for Residency has formed to encourage voters to support a non-binding referendum on the Nov. 6 ballot. Committee members, who held a news conference Thursday, plan to start distributing 40,000 pamphlets this weekend that encourage voters to support a residency requirement for new city government employees.
“I think we need a real strong show of support by the voters of Springfield,” McMenamin said after Thursday’s press event. “We need to get six votes (on the council), and I think the mayor needs to see the results. Hopefully we’ll get a positive result from the referendum. If we don’t, then we’ve made every effort and we can have a clear conscious that we did what we thought was best for Springfield.”
The Springfield Citizens for Residency committee was formed Sept. 20, according to state election records. The chairman is Jon Dunn. McMenamin’s wife, Lynn, is the treasurer.
About 15 people attended the news conference in support of a residency requirement, including former city attorney Jim Zerkle, city Treasurer Jim Langfelder and local attorney Gordon Gates. The group’s website, residencyyes.com, leads visitors to a Facebook page.
Joe McMenamin for Ward 7 