Politics & Government

City Looking at its Residency Requirements for Police, Fire Chiefs

Greenfield currently requires its chiefs to live within city limits.

For years, the City of Greenfield has required that the chiefs of both the police and fire department live within the city limits.

But the city is considering dropping that requirement, and the timing is not coincidental. Battalion Chief Jon Cohn, the former Greendale fire chief and Greenfield's interim fire chief as of this afternoon when Russ Spahn retires, lives a few blocks outside of Greenfield in Hales Corners.

Because of , and his experiences with consolidating the North Shore Fire Department year ago, , a decision, however, that is ultimately up to the city's Police and Fire Commission.

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Cohn lives within the 15-mile radius requirement that is in place for all other police and fire personnel. The proposed amendment would give chiefs that same residency latitude.

The issue went before the Finance and Human Resources Committee last week, where Alderpersons Shirley Saryan and Karl Kastner voted in favor of the amendment but Alderperson Tom Pietrowski voted against it.

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Pietrowski believes the chiefs should live in the city, adding that if there is a crisis in the community, they should be first to respond. He also said many other municipalities have the same residency requirement as Greenfield.

Pietrowski also said that during the previous search for a fire chief, about five years ago, final candidates were willing to move within the city's limits.

Ben Granberg, the city's director of human resources, said the residency restrictions would limit the pool of candidates.

The Common Council will likely vote on the amendment at its meeting June 21.


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