Roefaro extends police residency deadline

By By JOLEEN FERRIS

Story Created: Mar 26, 2008 at 11:54 AM EDT

Story Updated: Mar 27, 2008 at 12:08 PM EDT

UTICA - The city's prior administration under Mayor Tim Julian gave Utica Police Officers Nash and Grande until April 1 to find a place to live in the city...or find another job.

But there's a new mayor now. There almost seems to be no solution or at least no feasible solution to this problem.

Sure, these officers signed independent agreement saying they'd live in the city. But the truth is, the city charter since the 1960s has required that all city employees must live in the city - and dozens don't.

And selective enforcement...well, that even sounds unconstitutional.

We talked this morning with Utica Mayor Roefaro about that April 1 deadline for the two officers in question to move back into Utica.

"So I'm going to extend the April first deadline," Roefaro said. "I don't know how long I'm going to extend it...possibly three to six months until we come up with a solution. I am checking throughout the state to see what other communities do with their residency law. See, because it has to be fair. It has to be equatable."

The Utica Police Department's union has some suggestions about how to get around this sensitive, complicated issue.
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