Pawhuska changes residency requirement

The Pawhuska City Council unanimously authorized the city manager’s office to change the policy governing how far away from the city its employees may live.

The old policy was a 10-mile requirement. The new policy will be a 30-minute response time. Mayor Mark Buchanan voiced full support for the change.

“I think that this will help us draw on a wider range of people,” Buchanan said. “I think it’s a wonderful idea.”

Ward 2 council member Steve Holcombe asked for feedback from City Attorney John Heskett on what types of requirements other cities use.

“It’s a little novel to Pawhuska,” Heskett said, explaining that a lot of cities don’t have a requirement. He added that mileage requirements seem to be evolving into response-time requirements. He went on to characterize a 30-minute requirement as “fairly standard” and “practical.”

Heskett said he thinks the city already has employees who are living outside the 10-mile limit.

Holcombe moved approval and the measure passed without dissent.