At Russellville’s May 7 city council meeting, the council unanimously voted to authorize an ordinance that requires new hire department heads to live within the Russellville city limits.

According to Mayor David Grissom, this decision has been a long time coming.

“I think it’s the right decision. It’ll be good for the city,” he said.

The ordinance will not affect current city department heads who reside outside of the city limits, Grissom said. It only applies to those who the city hires in the future.

“It makes sense to have them live in the city: in case there is a problem or emergency, they can respond quickly,” Grissom said.

The ordinance specifies that if a new hire doesn’t live in the city limits at the moment of hire, he or she must move into the city limits within six months of date of hire and reside within the city limits for the duration of employment.

Other actions taken at the meeting included:

• A resolution commending the Russellville High School Art Department for its 50^th anniversary and the mural students created that has been donated to the Russellville Public Library.
• A resolution commending the Times-Daily Design an Ad contest winners from Russellville City Schools.
• A public hearing to solicit citizen input concerning the application for an alcohol license for retail beer (off-premise consumption) for Northside Grocery on Waterloo Road. Three citizens from North Russellville Baptist Church spoke up requesting that the license not be granted.
• The resolution authorizing the issuance of an alcohol license to Northside Grocery for a retail beer license (off-premise consumption) died when no council members voted to approve it.
• A resolution declaring a 1998 Chevrolet Z71 as surplus property in the Russellville Parks and Recreation Department.
• Authorized the Russellville Fire Department to hire Daniel Smith and Brannan Smith.