FAIRHOPE, Ala. — Police Chief Bill Press reviewed personnel issues and detailed City Hall’s alleged attempts to roadblock termination proceedings at Monday night’s City Council meeting, at the request of Council President Lonnie Mixon.

Press gave a lengthy report on employee misconduct, and all of the employees outlined in his report were either terminated or resigned in lieu of termination.

“I’ve literally had to deal with everything from sworn police officers lying during official investigations to officers having sexual relations with subordinate employees and just about everything in between,” Press said, reading from his statement.

Some of the more serious charges were:

• Arresting a young female who was “incarcerated in our jail and never charged with anything.”

• Consuming illegal drugs.

• Sending pornographic photographs and text messages to other personnel while on duty.

• Inappropriate sexual contact while on duty and having a sexual relationship with “subordinate personnel.”

The names of the employees whose cases were outlined in the report were withheld, and many of the charges for termination had not been made public.

Press went on to state that collectively, the last six terminations and resignations cost the taxpayers $117,206.63 in salaries because of City Hall’s attempt to “roadblock” or stop the termination process.

According to the report, one employee sent a letter to Mayor Tim Kant just prior to the termination hearing stating that he was retiring. Kant attempted to honor the retirement despite Press, the city treasurer and Paul Myrick, the city’s human resources attorney, all voicing concerns the employee was not eligible for retirement.

Press stated he felt that the majority of men and women of the Police Department were “nothing short of outstanding.”

“We have enforced the departures of a limited number of individuals to build on an otherwise existing foundation of honor, trust and integrity,” said Press. “I am proud not only to lead them, but more importantly to work amongst them.”

Also in the report was an alleged meeting between Kant, who is running for re-election, and three new candidates for city council at Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Home on June 5. According to the source of the information, who Press said was at the meeting, the focus was “to come up with a plan and an alliance among these individuals to develop a sound reason not to rehire Press if they are elected.”

Press told the Fairhope Courier that he was not at that meeting, but his source, who was at the meeting, said that is what happened.

“I can’t verify yes or no,” said Press. “If you look in totality of the circumstances though, he (Kant) really didn’t want an outsider in here to begin with.”

Mayor Kant did not respond to phone calls for comment from the Courier, but told the Press-Register that he attended two campaign events at the funeral home’s chapel, but denied meeting to discuss the chief.