Selma city councilman removed from office by state law

From the West Alabama Newsroom–

The Ward 1 seat on the Selma City Council is vacant after a city council member is removed from office by operation of law.

Former city councilman Troy Harvill was removed from office — after missing all regular and special called council meetings for 90 consecutive days. The absence triggered a state law that removed him from office automatically.

The law also states that the council may vote to reinstate the removed elected official at the next council meeting following his removal. That council meeting was held on June 23rd.

“That’s when the attorney told us that after those dates up to the point that he had missed those dates. And we had to make a decision. We had to make a decision of to reinstate him or not reinstate,” said Councilwoman Jannie Thomas.

Thomas represents Ward 7 on the council. She was one of the five of council members present at the meeting. She says it was Harvill’s second reinstatement vote this year and the vote not reinstate was unanimous.

City attorney Graham Mosley the council now has 60 days to appoint someone to fill the vacancy.

If the city council fails to make an appointment within 60 days the mayor must call for a special election to fill the vacancy.