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Commissioners on the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas, Administration and Human Services standing committee voted Wednesday on advancing the discussion over the residency requirement, a hot-button issue in the county.
"I too am very conflicted because I’ve heard both sides…I need to take emotion out…how do we get to a solution using data?" said Mayor Christal Waston, who doesn't sit on the committee, but attended.
The committee, chaired by District 3 Commissioner Christian Ramirez, also includes Commissioner Jermaine Howard (District 1), Commissioner Andrew Kump (At-Large District 2), Commissioner Evelyn Hill (District 4) and Commissioner Phil Lopez (District 6).
Ramirez made the motion to move the discussion forward to the full commission on March 5, with a Feb. 6 deadline to get any questions to HR.
Commissioner Lopez seconded the motion.
“Tonight was the night for public comment and to hear the community...there is the time for commissioners to hash it out, find common ground, and let’s listen to the data," Ramirez said.
Commissioners Chuck Stites (District 7) and Carlos Pacheco III (District 5) also attended and gave comments, though they were unable to vote.
"Why are we here if it’s worked?" Stites asked during the meeting.
During the meeting, representatives from the UG’s Human Resources department presented the commissioners with data they’ve collected to support their proposal.
HR provided a timeline of this discussion, which first came before the AHS committee in May 2024.
Its since been tabled, pushed and rescheduled several times since then.
Now, there's a new mayor and commission.
"I agree with Mayor Watson...we need to take emotion out of this and make data-driven decisions," Commissioner Ramirez said.
The actual residency requirement has been in place since before consolidation, according to the HR director.
Since 2024, HR staff members say they analyzed community surveys, turnover rates and other municipalities.
Several commissioners questioned the economic implications of lifting the residency and pushed for additional data.
Commissioner Howard challenged the current recruitment efforts. He said the "number one thing" he's heard from department heads is that they don't know how to "think outside the box."
The Unified Government currently requires all employees to reside in Wyandotte County and allows them one year to relocate after hiring.
The new proposal would expand the allowable radius in which an employee could live to 30 miles from City Hall. It would also extend the moving deadline to two years.
Commissioners could also select a variation of these options that only modifies the radius or time period.
Some positions, including the Sheriff's department, already have 24 months to relocate.
The legal department also confirmed that the District Attorney's office does not enforce the residency requirement. Instead, it abides by state statute, which allows Mark Dupree to opt in and out of county policies.
Despite this, DA employees are still on the UG's payroll.
After HR's presentation, attendees were allowed to give public comment, which lasted over an hour.
Nearly 30 people spoke in written, online and in-person testimonies.
Several KCK law enforcement officers were present in the audience.
The majority of comments were from those in favor of lifting the residency requirement, citing burnout, recruitment difficulties and employee morale. However, a handful of speakers were against lifting it.
Their primary argument centered around "caring about the community you live and work in."
Most speakers from both sides agreed on the high tax burden, but this disagreement came over how to best address improving the county.
KSHB 41’s Wyandotte County reporter Rachel Henderson has been following this issue for months and has spoken with several community members about it prior to Wednesday’s meeting.
The staffing challenges were apparent during last week's winter storm, when Public Works operated with half its normal snow removal crew members.
Dave Reno, who serves as the community engagement officer and public information officer for Unified Government Public Works, said Friday that "lower staffing level means it's going to take a little longer."
UG fleet manager Russell Owens supports lifting the residency requirement.
He said potential employees have declined job offers due to the relocation mandate.
"We've had people in interviews say, ‘If I have to move, I don't need a job,'" Owens told Henderson on Friday.
However, longtime Kansas City, Kansas, resident Korri Hall opposes changing the requirement.
Hall, a former educator who previously ran for commissioner, believes local residency ensures employee investment in the community.
"I really believe that when you live in this community, you're going to invest in this community," Hall said.
She ran in District 1, where Commissioner Jermaine Howard won.
“I get excited when I see Commissioner Howard,” Hall said. “Yes, I ran against him, he ran against me, but he’s my former student, and I’m so proud that the things that I invested in him … that he’s doing it now in this community.”
Hall questioned whether the city has exhausted all recruitment options before considering policy changes.
"Have you advertised those open positions everywhere?" Hall said.
The debate reflects broader concerns about keeping tax dollars within the community versus attracting qualified candidates from a wider pool.
"You really want those tax dollars to recirculate in the community," Hall said.
Other residents, including Steve Sessions, are in favor of eliminating the residency requirement to improve hiring quality.
He spoke with Henderson about this issue in October.
"We have to make sure that we're going to hire the best," Sessions said.
The Human Resources Department has identified ongoing struggles with hiring and retention, particularly for public safety positions.
Some residents, like Tamara Wilson, who has family members in law enforcement, worry that requiring public safety employees to live where they work creates additional stress.
"They never get the opportunity to be out of the area that they work in," Wilson said.
The commissioners decided Wednesday evening that the issue will be revisited at the March 5 full commission meeting, giving HR staff time to compile data and answers to commissioner questions before then.
That's when the full commission, comprised of 10 people, will vote.
"Let's not rush it...any data doesn't work for us," Howard said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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