During a recent city council meeting, members approved the minutes from the August 6 regular session and the August 13 workshop. The council also addressed a significant proposal regarding the residency requirement for the city manager position, which mandates that the individual must reside within Mount Pleasant.

Resident Steve Bolster raised concerns about the implications of this requirement, questioning whether it would limit the pool of qualified candidates for the position. He emphasized that the decision to enforce such a residency rule could deter potential applicants who prefer a rural lifestyle, as housing options within the city may not accommodate those preferences.

In response, council members clarified that the decision to require residency was made to ensure that the city manager would be fully integrated into the community, sharing in the same experiences and responsibilities as the citizens they serve. The council reiterated that this proposal would ultimately be put to a vote by the residents in the upcoming November election.

The council confirmed that the proposal was officially voted on during the previous meeting and is now part of the ballot measures for the upcoming election. Following the discussion, the council unanimously approved the minutes from the previous sessions, concluding the first item on the agenda before moving on to public comments.

The meeting highlighted the council's commitment to community involvement and transparency, as they welcomed citizen participation while adhering to the Texas Open Meetings Act regulations.