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Anyone hired by the city of Springfield would have to
live in or move into the city limits if an ordinance proposed by Ward 2
Ald. Frank McNeil passes. The ordinance should be on first reading April 3,
and on the council’s agenda April 18, which happens to be the last
meeting for McNeil and four other term-limited council members.
Current city code requires department directors to
live in the city of Springfield. Springfield police officers also must live
inside city limits if they drive take-home cars. McNeil says his proposed
ordinance would restore the rule that was repealed in 2002 at the urging of
the firefighters union.
“I think it’s logical, I think it makes
sense, and I think it’s in the best interests of the city,” he
says. “If this is where they draw their salary, I think they ought to
live here. It shows that they have confidence in the city and its
operation. To choose to live outside a city that you work for in some
respects shows that you’re not confident in the city you work
for.”
McNeil says both candidates running to fill his seat
agree with his proposed ordinance. But will anyone else? McNeil himself may
not even be present to vote for his own proposal; he says he may be in
North Carolina, helping his father celebrate his 95th birthday.
Contact Dusty Rhodes at drhodes@illinoistimes.com.
This article appears in Mar 22-28, 2007.
