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Quincy council adopts job reclassifications, clarifies interim appointments and OKs backyard-chicken ordinance
Summary
The Quincy City Council adopted a resolution reclassifying two city positions as exempt, amended municipal code language on exempt positions and interim appointments, and approved an ordinance allowing up to four backyard chickens (no roosters) with a $35 annual registration and complaint-based enforcement.
The Quincy City Council approved several personnel and code changes and adopted a new ordinance permitting backyard chickens in the city during its February meeting. Council members voted to reclassify the engineer-1 position and the city clerk as exempt employees and to add supervisory responsibilities to the clerk’s job description, a change staff told the council removes those posts from overtime eligibility.
A city staff member explained the rationale for reclassification was the supervisory role now assigned to the clerk and the professional criteria for the engineer position, saying, "The exempt status removes them from overtime." Council moved to adopt Resolution 26-7-53 and approved it by voice vote.
The council also adopted Ordinance 26-6-45 to clean up code language about exempt and excluded positions and to clarify interim appointments. Staff described a process allowing the mayor to appoint an interim to fill essential roles (for example, appointing a deputy or captain to serve as interim police chief) without immediate council confirmation; that interim status would expire after 90 days unless formal confirmation follows.
The meeting’s most-discussed policy change was Ordinance 26-6-46, which adds chapter 8.15 to the Quincy Municipal Code to allow chickens within city limits. Key provisions explained by staff and discussed by council included a limit of four chickens per property, a prohibition on roosters, and an annual registration fee set at $35. Enforcement will be complaint-driven and handled by animal control with assistance from code enforcement; staff said the city is adding an animal-control CSO position in the police department to support the program.
Council members raised outreach questions about how the city will notify residents of the new rules; a council member suggested inserts in utility billing and more social-media outreach. Staff said they plan to publicize the change and treat violations on a complaint basis, noting the new registration process is intended primarily for control and not revenue: "It's more to control and set some — we just don't wanna get overrun again," one staff speaker said. Several council members emphasized there will be no roosters and that the program will rely on neighborhood complaints for enforcement.
Votes at a glance: the council excused two members (Tom Harris and Dave Dormeyer) by motion; the amended agenda and the consent agenda were approved; Resolution 26-7-53 (job description reclassifications) and Ordinances 26-6-45 (exempt positions/appointments) and 26-6-46 (chickens) were each moved, seconded and adopted by voice vote.
In reports, staff said the city's audit was nearing completion, the recreation department circulated a 2025 update and previewed summer programming, and the police chief announced a public safety meeting location change and updates on an active investigation. The council adjourned after a brief update on recent lobbying in Olympia seeking funding for water and wastewater projects.
What’s next: the new chickens ordinance and code amendments take effect per the city’s standard ordinance timeline; staff said they will begin public outreach and implement the registration procedure and enforcement protocol.
