McMinnville Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved the first reading of an ordinance to extend the residency timeline for the city administrator position and allow for case-by-case exceptions.
McMinnville Mayor Ryle Chastain said the change provides potential candidates more time to relocate while giving the board flexibility to waive requirements under specific circumstances.
“Essentially, the reason that we’re amending this right now is because there is a requirement that the city administrator must live within the city limits and none of the applicants live in the city limits,” Chastain said. “So that would preclude all of them from holding this position.”
Chastain said the proposal extends the residency deadline to six months and grants the board the ability to make exceptions. Chastain said the current code requires a city administrator to live within the city within 90 days of their first day of employment and does not allow for any exceptions.
“I mean, with the current housing market, financial situation, with lenders, interest rates, things like that, I mean, three months might not be feasible, especially if it were somebody coming from out of state,” Chastain said.
Alderman Dietra Dunlap said the board also considered the impact of relocation on families and school-aged children. Dunlap said extending the timeline allows for a smoother transition for applicants who may be moving in the middle of a school year.
Chastain said the current financial climate and housing market conditions made the existing 90-day window difficult for many potential hires to meet.
The board voted to approve the first reading of the ordinance following the discussion.
