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Council moves to amend police‑chief residency rule after broad support for Jeff Stevens
Summary
After public praise from the county state's attorney and council discussion, Washington alderpersons signaled they will pursue an amendment to the 1991 residency requirement so longtime interim Chief Jeff Stevens may be appointed permanent chief; no formal ordinance change occurred at the meeting.
Mayor announced her intention to appoint Jeff Stevens as Washington's police chief and asked the council to consider amending a 1991 municipal residency requirement that currently requires a police chief to reside inside city limits within six months of appointment.
Kevin Johnson, the county state's attorney and a 30‑year Washington resident, told the council he had worked with Stevens for decades and urged that the residency rule not block the mayor’s appointment. “He is a very hardworking, motivated, very intelligent officer,” Johnson said, adding that modern communications and interagency coordination reduce the operational need for a strict residency rule.
Council members discussed options that would allow internal continuity while preserving a community‑residency principle for future hires. Proposed alternatives included granting a mayoral or city‑administrator waiver, setting a fixed radius, or creating a limited exception for long‑serving employees. One compromise drafted at the meeting would allow existing city employees with at least 15 years of service to live within 25 miles of Washington.
Interim Chief Jeff Stevens described his financial and family reasons for currently living outside city limits and said he considers himself “a Washingtonian” who has long served the community. He told the council moving immediately would be a major financial decision for him and his family.
The council took an informal straw poll that showed majority support for drafting an ordinance based on the 15‑year/25‑mile compromise, while some alderpersons preferred a case‑by‑case waiver or other threshold-based approaches. No binding vote or formal ordinance amendment was adopted that night; staff will prepare amendment language and a first-reading ordinance for future meetings.
The mayor and council emphasized that any final action would follow formal ordinance procedure (first and second readings and vote), and that a mayoral appointment of a chief will still require council advice and consent under the municipal code.
What happens next: Staff will draft amendment language for a first reading. The mayor indicated she intends to nominate Jeff Stevens for the permanent position, subject to the council’s review and the outcome of the ordinance process.
