Mobile City Council approves investigative committee and independent special counsel to review allegations by city chief

The Mobile City Council voted to approve an amendment directing the council president to appoint an investigative committee of the whole and to retain an independent, Alabama‑licensed attorney to serve as special counsel to investigate allegations made publicly by the city chief after the chief was placed on administrative leave.

Counsel (Speaker 3) read the amended text aloud to the chamber, saying, "The amendment in substance is that the subsections have been taken out of paragraph 7," and summarizing the replacement language: paragraph 7 notes that on or about 04/09/2024 the chief was placed on administrative leave by Mayor Sandy Stimpson and that the chief subsequently gave interviews making troubling allegations. The amendment then directs the council president to appoint an investigative committee, authorizes that committee to select a qualified, Alabama‑licensed independent attorney as special counsel, directs the committee and special counsel to establish a budget that includes an appropriate hourly compensation rate, and requires the special counsel to file a full report with the council within 45 days of appointment.

Speaker 2 called for a vote on the amendment; the body voiced approval and Speaker 2 announced the amendment had passed. The council then returned to the original motion "as amended," voted, and Speaker 2 announced the motion passed. The transcript records the approvals verbally but does not provide a roll‑call tally in the provided segments.

After the votes, Speaker 4 introduced a separate resolution described in the transcript as "pursuant to section 11‑44C‑38(a) of the Alabama code." Speaker 4 moved the resolution and Speaker 2 seconded; the council approved that resolution by voice vote according to the transcript.

The amendment requires the investigative committee to appoint special counsel and receive a written report within 45 days; the amendment also directs the establishment of a budget for the special counsel’s hourly compensation, but the transcript does not specify the budget amount or the special counsel candidate. The transcript likewise does not identify who moved the original amendment (the second is recorded by Speaker 1 at the outset) or provide a numerical vote tally in the excerpt provided—only that the amendment and the subsequent motion passed by voice vote.

Following the motions and votes, the council solicited district announcements (none were reported in the provided excerpt), and Speaker 1 asked about a career fair or job opportunity event at Bishop State. The transcript does not show a response to that inquiry within the supplied segments.

Next steps recorded in the amendment are appointment of the investigative committee by the council president, selection and hiring of an independent Alabama‑licensed special counsel by that committee, establishment of a budget for counsel compensation, and delivery of a written report to the council within 45 days of the counsel’s appointment.