The new Washington City Council had a lot on its plate Monday in its first monthly committee of the whole meeting.
The city residency requirement for the Washington police chief, changes in parking restrictions on and near the downtown square, term limits for the mayor and alderpersons, allowing backyard chickens, the future of the pubic works storage building damaged by a fire last year, and recruiting a new city administrator were among the topics tackled in the three-hour plus meeting.
"There were some excellent discussions," said Mayor Lilija Stevens. "Everyone contributed."
Everyone includes new council members Michael Ernst, Paula Johnson, Brandon Moss and Todd Sluder, half of the eight-member council.
Stevens wants to promote interim police chief Jeff Stevens (no relation) to police chief. In the way is a 1991 city ordinance that requires the police chief to live in the city.
Jeff Stevens doesn't live in Washington.
He hasn't resided in the city for family reasons during his 25-year career in the Washington Police Department, which includes serving as deputy chief from 2015 until May 5, when he was named interim chief.
Mayor Stevens, all eight alderpersons, and Tazewell County State's Attorney Kevin Johnson, a Washington resident, each spoke on Jeff Stevens' behalf Monday, praising him for his dedication to the police department and to the city.
They also were critical of the residency ordinance. Moss called it "antiquated" and Alderperson Mike McIntyre labeled it "outdated" because of improved communications systems since 1991 and a much more robust command structure in the police department.
"You won't be breaking ground here by changing the ordinance," Johnson said. "In fact, you're the outlier."
Twenty-two police chief residency requirement survey responses from Illinois communities of between 15,000 and 40,000 population were received recently by the Washington Police Department. Not one of the 22 communities required its police chief to live in the community.
Johnson also said hiring a chief from inside a police department is important.
"Institutional knowledge and continuity are important in any organization, but especially in law enforcement," Johnson said. "When it comes to professionalism, Washington isn't behind any law enforcement entity in Tazewell County and Jeff Stevens is a big reason for that."
In a straw vote, the council agreed that the residency ordinance should be changed so someone who has been with the city for at least 15 years and lives no further away from 25 miles from the city limits can be eligible to be the police chief.
Jeff Stevens fits that description.
Only Alderperson Bobby Martin III had reservations about changing the ordinance, although he said, "If there ever was a time to make an exception to the rule, this is it."
The revised residency ordinance could be brought to the council at its meeting next Monday.
The city administrator is the only other Washington city employee required to live in the city.
Parking challenges on and near the downtown square 'a good problem to have'
In other discussions Monday:
- Council was informed about proposed changes in on- and off-street parking restrictions on and near the downtown square. The current restrictions have been in place since 2002. Another discussion on the topic will be held at the June committee of the whole meeting before new parking restrictions are brought to the council for adoption.
"More visitors have come to the square as anticipated because of the recent opening of Tangled Roots Craft Beer & Kitchen," said Jon Oliphant, Washington's planning and development director, who proposed the changes.
"This has made it slightly more challenging to find a public parking space close to a business," Oliphant said. "This is a good problem to have because it's representative of a downtown that is growing."
- A proposal to have term limits of three elected four-year terms for the mayor and not for alderpersons was favored by the council, mainly because of recent history. Three of the four wards that had an alderperson opening in the April 1 election either had either no candidates or one candidate.
- A proposed zoning code amendment recommended for council approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission that would allow backyard chickens in the city had a 3/4-acre lot size requirement. Council asked for that to be taken out of the amendment. The amendment will be discussed again at the June committee of the whole meeting then brought to the council for adoption.
- Should the fire damaged public works storage building on Jefferson Street be repaired with $340,000 in insurance money, demolished with that money to build a parking lot, demolished and the property sold, or sold as is? Council asked for costs of the latter two options. Council liked the idea of hiring a company to do a city-wide space study that would include a possible future Public Works building.
- Council recommended hiring a recruitment firm to search for a new city administrator. City Engineer Dennis Carr has been serving in that role since May 5. It's the first time since August, when former City Administrator Jim Snider resigned, that someone has been overseeing the city's day-to-day operations. Washington has had four city administrators since 2015.
"We need to make longevity a key focus on this search," said Alderperson John Blundy.
"Bringing in a recruitment firm would make the hiring process more transparent because we do have an internal candidate (Carr)," McIntyre said.
