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Public raises city manager residency and flag policy questions; city attorney says state law overrides residency requirement
Summary
Residents asked the council to change a municipal residency clause and to fly the pride flag year‑round; the city attorney said a municipal residency requirement is preempted by state law and explained the city's flag policy permitting temporary flag displays after council approval.
During public comment the council received several remarks about civic inclusion and a request to revisit a municipal residency requirement for the city manager. Resident Dylan Jones urged the council to reaffirm a preference that the city manager live locally to foster daily community engagement. Jones and one other speaker suggested the council revisit the code provision requiring the city manager to reside within the city limits.
City Attorney responded to the questions in open session. He said the municipal code contains a residency provision but that it is superseded by state law—he cited Government Code section 58003—which prevents a city from requiring its city manager to live within city limits. The city’s contract with the current city manager acknowledges the manager is not required to live within the city limits, and the city attorney said the city has complied with both state law and municipal code.
On a related question about flag policy, the city attorney said the city maintains a flag policy that permits the council to approve flags to be flown on city property; the city cannot regulate speech content. The attorney said flags are authorized for 30‑day displays under that program and council approval is the administrative mechanism the city follows.
Council members thanked the speakers and reaffirmed support for inclusive ceremonial actions such as recognizing Pride month. Several council members also acknowledged parts of the municipal code that are outdated and noted staff will pursue non‑substantive updates as needed.
