FAIRHOPE, Ala. - Recent triple-digit heat indexes in South Alabama had nothing on Monday’s City Council meeting, when two council members simmered with indignation over Mayor Tim Kant’s actions involving the police chief and a garbage proposal.

“It looks like a witch hunt, and it looks like you’re sowing seeds of dissension in the police department,” said Councilman Rick Kingrea, referring to a private meeting between Kant and disgruntled police officers, who claimed a hostile work environment at the department.

Kingrea blistered Kant as well over his filing of a letter last year with the State Ethics Commission about how Police Chief Bill Press handled payment of off-duty officers that resulted in ethics charges, which the agency dismissed last week.

Kant said he was in a Catch-22 situation with the ethics complaint and had an obligation to get to the bottom of the allegations by police officers.

“I plan to share every bit of it with you,” he said, referring to a report he would develop with Human Resources Director Lisa Hanks and Mobile attorney Paul Myrick, who provides advice to the city on personnel matters.

The council meeting got off to a fiery start when Council President Lonnie Mixon blasted Kant over how his administration had written what he said were unrealistic bid specifications to privatize parts of the city’s garbage service.

“This is the most absurd RFP I’ve seen,” said Mixon, referring to a number of restrictions in the the Request for Proposal, which Kant said had been issued last week. “This is laughable.”

The council voted unanimously to reject the RFP and start over in a committee chaired by Councilman Debbie Quinn.

“I don’t mind going in there and trying to straighten it out,” said Councilman Mike Ford, who has chaired a recent garbage study committee.

The council also voted unanimously to consider at a future date having the city pay for the attorney’s fees spent by Press for his defense of the ethics complaint initiated by Kant.

“This was not something done outside the scope of his employment, and we have paid for other officials’ pending lawsuits,” Councilman Dan Stankoski said.