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The Tucson City Council decided Tuesday that any newly hired city department head will have to live within the city limits.

The stipulation most immediately affects five departments in which the director already has announced a retirement or job change.

Current department heads will not be affected by the requirement.

Of 21 city departments, seven directors are Tucson residents. This year, four of those will leave their positions, in addition to one department director who doesn't live in the city.

The proposal was made by Councilman Rodney Glassman, who said the city would follow the lead of other communities in the state with similar requirements.

"Individuals in charge of providing service to the city of Tucson should be customers of the services they provide," Glassman said.

He said the requirement not only allows the directors to see firsthand how the city services are being delivered, but also gives them a chance to carpool, ride a bicycle or take a bus to work.

Department directors who live in the city are more readily available during emergencies and help the local economy, Glassman said.

Directors make an average of about $135,000 a year, which is three times the average income in Tucson, Glassman said.

The measure was approved on a 5-1 vote. Councilwoman Shirley Scott voted against it, and Councilman Steve Leal was absent.

The requirement limits the application pool, Scott said.

"Talent surpasses geography when it comes to hiring," she said.

Scott said the measure was a limitation on people's freedom to choose where they live.

During the public-comment portion of the council's regular session, City Clerk's Office employee Stacy Semas said she was insulted by the proposal.

As a county resident and city employee, Semas said she eventually will have the skills to become a department head, but this measure would prevent her from taking such a position.

"Choosing where you live is a very personal choice, and it should not be counted against you," Semas said.

Councilwoman Nina Trasoff and Mayor Bob Walkup both said they agreed with the proposal but wanted the ability to consider individual circumstances.

Trasoff said she knows that some choose not to live in the city because of specific housing needs.

"We as a city need to address those issues," Glassman said in response. "If there's one department head with that issue, there's probably thousands of others, too."

The community's diversity in housing options, from horse properties to urban lofts, can be highlighted with this proposal, Councilwoman Karin Uhlich said.

Council members are required to live in the city limits.

The measure will be on the council's regular agenda for formal approval next week, but the provision would apply to anyone hired for a position posted after Tuesday's meeting.

Cottonwood KIDCO to close

The council voted 5-0 to close the Cottonwood Elementary School KIDCO after-school program at the end of this school year because of a complaint that the program was operating as an unlicensed child-care facility.

The May 22 closure will address the state's cease-and-desist order and eliminate the need for a state hearing on the Cottonwood location.

It still leaves the question of the rest of the city's KIDCO after-school programs, which don't qualify for an exemption and aren't licensed according to the state's child-care-facility regulations.

The ultimate goal is to get the entire program exempt from the licensing requirement, which the city of Phoenix has done with its after-school program, Councilwoman Regina Romero said.

Walkup and Leal were absent for the vote.