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Revote planned on employee residency issue Aug 10, 2012

Deana Stroisch
The State Journal-Register

A special meeting has been called for Tuesday for Springfield aldermen to reconsider their split decision not to ask voters whether future city employees should be required to live in the city. Ward 7 Ald. Joe McMenamin said Friday he’s found the sixth vote needed to get the non-binding referendum on the Nov. 6 ballot.
Ward 3 Ald. Doris Turner, who supports a residency requirement but not an advisory referendum, said McMenamin convinced her to change her vote. “It doesn’t change my position as far as residency. I just didn’t feel like the referendum was the right way to go about it,” Turner said. “However, I will not stand in the way of it being put to the voters.”

In casting his vote against McMenamin’s proposal, Houston, a former supporter of a residency requirement, said the city’s 23 union contracts would have to be renegotiated and likely require the city to offer concessions in exchange, which he described as a “very expensive process.” The new rules would likely only apply to new non-union employees, he said, which would be unfair.

Assuming no other alderman changes his or her vote, Turner would be the sixth vote needed for the proposal to pass. Houston could still veto the measure, though he’s not said if he would do that.

A special meeting can be called at the request of three aldermen. Tuesday’s special meeting, at 5:30 p.m., was requested by Edwards, Turner and McMenamin.

The city required employees to live within city limits until December 2000, when aldermen abolished the requirement for all city workers except elected officials and department heads.

Read the full article at sj-r.com…