FAIRHOPE, Ala. — Sparks flew at Monday’s City Council meeting, when Councilman Mike Ford raised an issue that some city officials and staff thought had been resolved last month.

“I haven’t heard what action was taken,” said Ford, referring to an Aug. 4 letter to the council by Mayor Tim Kant, regarding the appointment of Terry Sanders as assistant police chief. “This was a serious accusation.”

“It’s been settled,” Council President Debbie Quinn said bluntly.

The letter stated that city law required Kant’s recommendation for that position, before the appointment could be made. The council appointed Sanders to the position without first seeking the mayor’s recommendation as required by the ordinance it adopted earlierthis year.

“I bring up this violation for you to resolve it,” Kant wrote. “The council’s action not to follow our personnel rules and ordinances violate fair hiring practice regulations for the city of Fairhope. I suggest that the council rectify their actions so as not to cause any liability to yourselves or the city of Fairhope.”

Quinn said City Attorney Marion “Tut” Wynne had been consulted at the time, leading to City Administrator Gregg Mims and Police Chief Bill Press meeting with Kant the week after the letter was sent.

“I think (Ford) and the mayor were right to point out any mistakes in how this was handled,” Wynne said. “But we had to decide whether we wanted to go back and start over (with the appointment process). We decided we should just move on with this one. But I do think we should be more careful and transparent in the future.”

Kant sat quietly during that discussion about the letter he had written. Quinn said the issue had been resolved in the meeting between Mims, Press and Kant.

While the exchange between Ford and Quinn was heated at the start of the meeting during that issue, it threatened to boil over later during another topic, regarding the process for hiring Kant’s administrative assistant.

The item was not on the agenda but was discussed during a report on the process for hiring an assistant city clerk and a report on human resources projects.

For that appointment, a city ordinance adopted earlier this year also requires that the council “seek the mayor’s recommendation in exercising the city council’s appointing authority for (this) position.”

Quinn said that the city administrator would vet the applicants and bring a recommendation with the mayor to the council, as required by city ordinance, which had not been followed in the appointment of Assistant Police Chief Sanders.

At that time, Kant entered the fray.

“That’s not going to happen,” Kant said. “All I know is the mayor is the chief executive, and I’m going to bring the recommendation to the council.”

Quinn said, “We have Gregg now, he’s supposed to recommend these hirings and firings.”

Kant answered, “He works for the mayor at my direction.”

The council decided to delay any decisions about the pay range or other discussion regarding the mayor’s administrative assistant until Sept. 28 council meeting.

As for the issue that Ford raised at the start of the meeting, he said, “I think we should quit bragging about being so transparent up here.”

No further action was taken regarding Kant’s Aug. 4 letter.