Northport Mayor To Resign Following Dispute Over Street Renaming

NORTHPORT, AL — "Livid," "selfish" and "speechless" were just three of the words used by officials in response Monday night to Northport Mayor Bobby Herndon announcing his resignation from office effective Dec. 31, which came immediately after debate regarding the renaming of a street in front of Herndon's personal business.

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Herndon once again brought the measure before the Council to rename the street Monday night, before being offered various compromises, along with a proposal to table the vote on the measure until January 2023. As Patch previously reported, the request would have renamed 28th Street between 20th Avenue and Lurleen B. Wallace Boulevard to "Benevolent Way" to honor those who have made donations to Herndon's office for those in need.

Northport City Attorney Ron Davis explained during the meeting that Herndon's application did not meet the policy adopted by the Council earlier this year.

District 2 Councilman Woodrow Washington III offered up a motion to table the measure until Jan. 23, 2023, before it was seconded by District 3 Councilman John Hinton. This, however, was rescinded before the measure died without making it to a full Council vote.

"This is not about me," Herndon argued. "This is not a self-laudatory thing I want to do. I just want to honor our citizens, just like honoring our veterans or police or fire anytime we can. If you guys don't think this is going to pass now or anytime in the future, then just go ahead and vote. No use in dragging it out."

After debate ceased for the measure, the meeting moved on, before Herndon shocked his fellow officials by announcing that he would step down from office at the end of the year.

"I appreciate this council and love them, but I'm sort of hamstrung," Herndon said. "This was something that was really going to benefit the people that helped, but if I can't get support on something that simple then I don't need to be mayor."

Council President Jeff Hogg said he was left "speechless" by the revelation, before the Council narrowly accepted Herndon's resignation. Washington and District 4 Councilwoman Jaime Dykes voted against accepting Herndon's resignation.

District 4 Councilwoman Jamie Dykes had pointed words for the mayor during her individual time to speak following the vote.

"I'm pretty pissed off right now," she said during the meeting. "For all of the good that you have done you just negated everything because of a very selfish decision that you made because what you did did not meet policy and our city administrator gave you another option to honor the residents who have helped you. This was a decision that was made out of haste, it was not thought out and I'm angry."

She then further chided the mayor for resigning two years into his term.

"The voters voted on you and us to do that and you are quitting and that's not you as a person and that should not be you as a mayor," she said. "There's nothing left to say because it's already been voted on but I am livid right now."

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