Title
ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO SECTION 2-221 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF NEW HAVEN CONCERNING RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT EXCEPTIONS FOR NEW APPOINTMENTS TO COORDINATOR AND DEPARTMENT HEAD POSITIONS
Body
WHEREAS, Article II, Section 12 of the Charter of the City of New Haven establishes elector and residency requirements for certain appointed officials in order to promote accountability, accessibility, and familiarity with the needs of City residents; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Alders recognizes that residency within the City promotes responsiveness to local concerns, strengthens public confidence in municipal government, and supports the Charter's purpose of ensuring local accountability; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Alders further recognizes that, in limited circumstances, strict application of such residency requirements for newly appointed coordinators and department heads may significantly affect the City's ability to recruit or retain highly qualified individuals necessary to serve the public interest; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Alders finds that any exception process should be narrowly tailored, transparent, based on documented review, and subject to written findings and approval by the Board of Alders; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Alders by this amendment preserves residency requirements as the general rule while establishing a limited process for case-specific exceptions in appropriate circumstances consistent with the Charter and the public interest.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Board of Alders of the City of New Haven that Section 2-221 of the Code of Ordinances be amended as follows:
DIVISION 1. GENERALLY
Section 2-221
(a) Incumbent Coordinator Defined. As set forth in Article III, Sec. 2.A (2) of the Charter, the term "Coordinator" shall mean one of up to four employees of the City appointed by the Mayor with professional qualifications in such fields as, but not limited to, community development, human services, public administr...
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