Council splits on residency question; moves to remove clerk residency requirement

The Hilliard Town Council on July 2 advanced Ordinance No. 2026-02, amending the town charter to remove a residency requirement for the Town Clerk. The ordinance was considered during a public hearing that included a comment from Heather Gates, who said she believed the clerk should reside in town and noted that "the Town Clerk has six months after being hired to establish residency and she feels that the position should be held by someone who resides within the Town limits."

Mayor John P. Beasley, Council Pro Tem Lee Pickett and Council President Kenny Sims all addressed the question during the hearing. Mayor Beasley said department heads are not required to reside within town limits and that, because the Town Clerk is not an elected official, he does not believe such a requirement should be imposed. Council Pro Tem Pickett argued the fairest approach would be to place the issue on the ballot so voters can decide; Council President Sims agreed with the view that additional residency requirements are unnecessary and noted that "the Town Clerk does not make decisions on behalf of the Town but, like the other department directors, may offer ideas and recommendations." The ordinance was adopted on second and final reading with Councilmembers Sims, Pickett, Wollitz, Hunter and Michaels recorded voting yea.

The decision removes the residency prerequisite from the charter and returns authority to hire based on the town's personnel policy. Council members discussed ballot referral as an alternative but made no formal motion to send the question to voters during the meeting.