Administrator residency requirement fails

A motion to require the Salem town administrator to live in Wisconsin failed by a large margin at a special meeting of the electors tonight.

In a show of hands vote with about 60 electors present, four people voted in favor of the motion.

Several citizens spoke against the requirement.

Supervisor Patrick O’Connell said such a requirement would limit future prospects, especially with the town bordering Illinois. (Current town administrator Patrick Casey, Salem’s first, lives in Illinois.)

Resident Christine Gustafson said her research indicates such requirements increase the cost of hiring administrators.

Resident Chris Skrynecki questioned the propriety of the motion.

“Who has a right to tell him where to live?” Skrynecki said.

Supervisor Dennis Faber pointed out that though he lives in Illinois, Casey actually lives closer to Salem than many Wisconsin locations.

Faber did, however, point out one other qualification that might have been overlooked when Casey was hired.

“I thought maybe a Packer fan might have been more important” than residency,  Faber said.