FAIRHOPE, Ala. - As a strong thunderstorm rolled through Fairhope Tuesday night, Mayor Tim Kant, a top department head, and a number of police officers convened at a local fire station in a meeting widely rumored since last week would occur at that time and place.

The reason for the meeting has been disputed by the mayor and Police Chief Bill Press, but no other public officials, staff or others would speak on the record this week about its purpose.

Kant said the 7 p.m. July 26 meeting was to allow officers “to vent” about their allegations of a hostile and possibly dangerous work environment at the police station, but Press disagreed.

“I am familiar with that meeting,” Press said Wednesday. “It doesn’t surprise me that the mayor will do anything and everything that he possibly can to get rid of me. That’s been on his agenda since day one.”

For full story, see July 29 edition of The Fairhope Courier.