FAIRHOPE, Ala. - The legal fate of Police Chief Bill Press will not be publicly revisited until Aug. 3, following the Alabama Ethics Commission’s decision Wednesday to continue investigating disputed off-duty assignments and compensation for the department’s officers.

At issue is the use of a private bank account in the name Friends of Fairhope Police to pay off-duty officers for non-city security details.

General Counsel Hugh Evans said the commission voted to carry over consideration of the matter until the next meeting to allow for “further investigation.”

Evans said the proceedings are covered under the state’s Grand Jury Secrecy Act, but did confirm the matter was “not resolved” Wednesday. Fairhope Mayor Tim Kant filed the complaint against Press in 2010, on the advice of David Whetstone, a former Baldwin County district attorney.

Both Kant and Press were called to testify before the commission in Montgomery Wednesday along with City Attorney Marion “Tut” Wynne, City Clerk Lisa Hanks, Treasurer Nancy Wilson and Press’ executive assistant, Tyron Hoskins.

“We testified and presented the case most of the day, … but were all individually questioned, so there’s no way to know what anybody else said. It was a long day waiting to get your name called and that was it,” Kant said.

As of press time, attempts to reach Press by phone were unsuccessful.

The hearing took place in a private executive session, and the commission reconvened later in the afternoon to vote on continuing the matter until August.

Depending on the commission’s ruling, Press could face either felony criminal charges or a minor administrative complaint, but the charging document setting out the specific allegations has not been made available.

The commission is charged with determining if the testimony presented provided probable cause to refer the case to the local district attorney or state attorney general for prosecution.

Press has stated repeatedly that neither he nor his office have taken any money privately from the account.

Press first brought the case to light at a City Council meeting in March, when he explained that a complaint had been filed against him by the mayor. He stated in an email and letter to the council that he had been cooperating with investigators at the agency, as well as the district attorney’s office, but that he had refused to settle the case on a minor administrative violation basis.

A 1999 resolution adopted by the Fairhope City Council and signed by then-Mayor Jim Nix sets out the procedure for off-duty work.

That resolution does not state how payments are to be made to officers, which could be at the heart of the current case. One of the allegations Press has made as a reason for bringing what he said is a new accountability to off-duty work procedures, was the custom in the past where officers received money “off the books” and “under the table.”

While he would not confirm what has been speculated as some very large amounts paid to officers, he has stated on the record, “It is my understanding they were getting above the standard $30 per hour.”