willyloman, it is so true that things are applied differently at the local level. We had such a man in our congregation, became a jw and his wife did not. For some time the elders would appoint him a MS but not an elder which was hypocritical since the requirements regarding wives was the same. Finally, a CO whizzed through who shamed the BOE into appointing this faithful, helpful, qualified man. He said it would be like requiring men to be married just because the bible said that elders should only have one wife at a time and Jesus was not married.
In the end, the BOE makes the rules which is why congregation can "allow" mustaches and another does not, another allows double ear piercing for women but another does not.
Blondie