No decision yet on 5-mile residency issue

The Fort Scott City Commission Tuesday discussed whether an ordinance that requires a city worker to live in Fort Scott or within 5 miles should be discarded or revised.

Interim City Manager Bob Farmer decided to place the item on Tuesday's agenda for discussion because the city is currently facing a problem finding qualified people for skilled positions to work for the city.

For the past six months, for example, the city has tried to fill the water supervisor position at the water plant. Ron Price, the former supervisor, retired at that time.

The position requires proper licensing credentials. Farmer said there's a shortfall of people who have the proper licensing. The position also is a supervisor, which may add to the problem if a person has the licensing but not the supervising experience.

The city has found a suitable candidate. The problem: He doesn't live in Fort Scott or Bourbon County. In fact, he lives 40 miles away. His situation is such that he doesn't want to relocate. He's willing to commute, Farmer said.

Filling the water supervisor position isn't an isolated problem.

"We've had similar problems this year with some highly skilled positions," Farmer said. Some job candidates seeking positions live in Pittsburg and Nevada, Mo., for instance, and were willing to drive but not relocate, he said.

"Our responsibility is to produce and hire the best staff we can put in place," Farmer said, "and we're not able to do that at this point."

Here's why:. In 1999, commissioners passed an ordinance saying all employees must reside within Fort Scott or 5 miles of the city limits. Failure to meet the requirements is cause for dismissal.

"I think people are more responsible to their employer when they have a financial investment in it," Commissioner Barbara Wood said. "I think the citizens of Fort Scott would appreciate our employees being part of the community."

She went on to say that the 5-mile distance employers have to stay within "is just silly."

"You're either in the city or not in the city," Wood said.

Farmer said his stance on the issue has changed since the ordinance was adopted. At that time, he agreed with Wood's stance that employees should live in Fort Scott.

"Now we're getting to the point where society is becoming so mobile," he said.

Commissioner Gary Bukowski said he's concerned about finding adequate employees. So did Commissioner Nick Graham.

Commissioner Jim Adams said he's leaning toward scrapping the ordinance.

"We need to get the best people in here," he said. "We want people to come and live here but not force them to."

Mayor Dick Hedges proposed more information be sought, including the policies of surrounding cities. The issue will be placed on the next agenda for further discussion.