HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-22-2009 Special MeetingCommittee:
Public Meeting Notice
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Mayor and City Council
Date & Time: Thursday, January 22, 2009 at 6:00 p.m.
Place: Council Chambers
161 North Section Street
Subject: Special City Council Meeting -Appointments
Notice must be stamped, dated and initialed before posted on bulletin board.
POSTED
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. J~~~~ -~~~x-r,N. NAT URE
22 January 2009
NOTICE AND CALL OF SPECIAL MEETING
Notice is hereby given of a special meeting of the City Council of the City
of Fa irhope , Alabama , to be held at the Fairhope Mun ic ipal Complex on
Thursda y, 22 January 20 09, at 6:00 p.m., for the purpose to:
I. Appointm ent of Interim Ch iefof Pol ice
2. Author ity to Appoint a Search Committee for Ch ief of Police
3. Appo intmen t of Municipal Judge
CONSENT TO HOLDING OF MEETING
The undersigned membe rs of the City Co un cil of the City of Fairhope,
Alabama, do hereby acknowledge service of the Noti ce and Ca ll of Spec ial
Meeting hcre inabout set forth and do hereby cons ent to the ho ldin g of such
meeting as such ti me in such place fo r the purpose set forth there in.
Attest:
4866
STATE OF ALABAMA )(
COUNTY OF BA L DWIN )(
The City Council , City of Fairhope , met in special session at
6 :00 p .m ., Fairhope Mun icipal Complex Council Chamber,
161 North Section Street, Fairhope, Alabama 36532, on ·
Thursday, 22 January 2009 .
4867
Present we re Council President Debb ie W . Quinn , Councilmembers: Daniel
Stankoski , Lonnie L. Mixon , Michael A . Ford, and Rick Kingrea, Mayor Timothy M .
Kant , City Attorney Marion E . Wynne, and City Clerk Lisa A. Hanks.
There being a quorum present, Council President Quinn called the meeting to
order. The invocation was given by City Attorney Marion E . Wynne and the Pledge
of Allegiance was recited .
Councilmember Stankoski addressed the City Council and stated that Chief of
Police Mike Comalander was appointed in December 2006 after the res ignation of
Browning. The C ity Council and citizens of Fairhope appreciate h is two years of
work as the Chief of Police . Councilmember Stankoski said Chief Comalander
desired to return to the rank of Captain with the Fairhope Police Department. After
further discussion, Councilmember Stankoski introduced in writing, and moved for
the adoption of the following resolution , a reso lution to appointment Terry Sanders as
Inter im Chief of Pol ice. Councilmember M ixon seconded the motion, but
Councilmember Ford asked to be heard on the matter.
Councilmember Ford stated that Chief of Police Comalander was under scrutiny. He
said there are two men on the police force that could do the job just as good.
Councilmember Ford sa id "what does it say to the police force or their morale."
Councilmember Ford said he received several phone calls and they were upset about
the Chief. He said we have had no talk about it and I was out of town . No one
should tell me who I can pick for Chief of Police. He said this disgust me and what
we have come to in Fairhope. After further discussion, Councilmember Ford moved
to go into Executive Session to discuss why the Chief is being replaced and the
character of Terry Sanders. Council President Quinn asked City Attorney Wynne if
they needed a letter to go into the Executive Session and since there was already a
motion and a second to that motion , would they need to rescind the motion. City
Attorney Wynne replied if you decide to go into Executive Session , the letter can be
signed later and the Executive Session motion would be a secondary motion. He said
the motion to appoint the Interim Chief of Pol ice would remain until the secondary
motion was voted on . Councilmember Kingrea seconded the motion to go into
Executive Session , motion failed by the follow ing voice votes: A YE -Ford and
Kingrea . NAY -Quinn , Stankoski, and Mixon .
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22 January 2009
The motion to appoint Terry Sanders as Interim Chief of Police passed by the following
voice votes : A YE -Quinn, Stankoski, Mixon, and Kingrea. NAY -Ford.
RESOLUTION NO. 1485-09
RESOLUTION FOR THE APPOINTMENT
OF A TEMPORARY CHIEF OF POLICE.
WHEREAS , the City Council of the City of Fairhope has adopted an ordinance
vesting the City Council with the power to appoint a Chief of Police for the City of Fairhope
and to establish the term of employment and the compensation for the Chief of Po lice; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has detennined that it is in the best interest of the City
of Fairhope to appoint a temporary Chief of Pol ice for a limited term to facilitate the City
Council's search for a regu lar Chiefof Police ;
OW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE
CITY OF FAJRHOPE, ALABAMA , in spec ial-called sess ion on January 22, 2009, as
follows :
The City Council will appoint Terry Sanders, as temporary
Chief of Police, for a term of three (3 ) months and, in the
sole dis cretion of the City Council , continuing thereafter
until the City Council appoints a regular Chief of Police.
The duties of the temporary Chief of Police shall be those
previously establ ished for the City of Fairhope 's Chief of
Police . The salary will be l/ 12 per month of the designated
salary for the Fairhope Chief of Police including all
employee benefits and a police vehicle . Upon the
completion of the three month term of office, the temporary
Chief of Police may be dismissed by the City Council in its
sole discretion and the City Council shall have no obligation
to appoint a temporary Chief of Police to any employment
position with the City of Fairhope .
APPROVED AND ADOPTED THIS 22NDDAY OF JANUARY, 2009
ATTEST:
4869
22 January 2009
Councilmember Stankoski addressed the City Council and stated he wanted to
fonn a search committee to review the Chief of Police job description and come up
with a fonnalized description to publish, post, and review . Then, interview applicants
and bring the top three to five applicants to the C ity Council. Councilmember Ford
said the Beverly Thomas came to h im and wanted to be on the committee.
Councilmember Qu inn mentioned Valerie Chaney to be on the committee and told
Councilmember Stankoski to come back Monday night to the City Counc i l with
committee members and they would vote on committee.
Councilmember Kingrea asked if the Chief of Police position was open to all.
Councilmember Stankoski replied if the person meets the requirements deemed by
committee , he or she will certainly be considered for the job.
Councilmember Kingrea addressed the City Council regarding the
appointment of the Municipal Judge . He received letters from the District Attorney
and Sam Crosby, fonner President of the Alabama State Bar Association , both highly
endorsing Haymes Snedeker . He stated that Mr. Crosby was impres sed with our
Municipal Judge and that our Municipal Court was the best Mr. Crosby had seen in
Baldwin County. After further d iscussion, Councilmember Kingrea
introduced in writing, and moved for the adoption of the following resolution, a
resolution to appoint Haymes Snedeker as Municipal Judge . Seconded by
Councilmember Ford , motion passed by the following voice votes : A YE -Quinn,
Mixon, Ford, and Kingrea . AY -None . ABSTAIN -Stankoski.
RESOLUTION NO . 1486-09
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF FAIRHOPE,
ALABAMA, That HAYMES SNEDEKER is he reby appointed as Municipal Judge . The
term of the Municipal Judge shall serve a two-year term (January 1, 2009 -January 1, 2011)
and until a successor is elected by the council and qualified . Section 12 -1 4-30, Code of
Alabama, 1975 .
ADOPTED 22ND DAY OF JANUARY, 2009
ATTEST :
4870
22 January 2009
Council President Quinn asked Haymes Snedeker and Terry Sanders if they would
like to say a few words.
Haymes Snedeker addressed the City Counci l and told them it · was a privilege to
serve as the City of Fairhope 's Municipal Judge . He promised the Mayor to have the
best court in the county. Mr. Snedeker said that without the help of City Prosecutor
Wynne and his assoc iates, Betty Stevens and Sandy Kelly, he could not do it. We
have the court dates down to 2-1/2 to 3 hours . People that cannot pay, we work out a
payment plan. Mr. Snedeker mentioned that Councilmember Kingrea has over 25
years of practicing law and really appreciated the endorsement from h im . He also
thanked his family and friends for their support . Finally, Mr. Snedeker said he had an
open door policy and everyone is welcome.
Terry Sanders addressed the City Council and said it is tough to follow the Judge.
Mr. Sanders said he would approach this as a full time job, has 25 plus years of
experience, and Police Chief the last five years . His wife Amy is a registered nurse
and he also has a son and a daughter. Mr. Sanders stated he loved law enforcement
and as a little boy knew what he wanted to be . He also stated to have an open door
policy and he doesn 't hide from telephone calls or in his office . He believes in
mutual respect and likes to have people work for him . He will give it his all and work
with the Council. Mr. Sanders thanked the City Council for his appointment.
Council President Quinn stated that the Munic ipal Insurance Company and the Mayor
of Calera spoke highly of Terry Sanders .
.;;,
Councilmember Mixon moved to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by
Councilmember Kingrea, motion passed unanimously by voice vote.
There being no further business to come before the City Council, the meeting
was duly adjourned at 6 :21 p .m.
Debbie W . Quinn, Council President