Birmingham: is there a city council president?
The Birmingham News reports: The Birmingham City Council's vote to select Steven Hoyt as president pro tempore may have violated the Mayor-Council Act and be invalid, city attorneys and at least one council member said Wednesday. ...
The contention comes because Roderick Royal nominated Hoyt for pro tem and then voted on the nomination. Royal moments earlier had been selected council president, which means he became acting mayor. The mayor, according to the Mayor-Council Act, cannot vote with the council. ...
J. Richmond Pearson, the council's legal adviser, said the dispute should be settled in court. ...
State Rep. Demetrius Newton, a former Birmingham city attorney, said the controversy over the vote highlights the need for more clarity in the MayorCouncil Act. Newton said the question should be resolved by legislation rather than in court. ...
Adding to the confusion, Newton contends Councilwoman Carole Smitherman also should have abstained during the voting because of her previous role as acting mayor. -- Read the whole article --> Birmingham City Council's pro tem vote for Steven Hoyt may be invalid | Breaking News from The Birmingham News - al.com