Northport Seeks Ethics Commission's Input Over Vote For Open Council Seat

NORTHPORT, AL — The City of Northport is formally seeking input from the Alabama Ethics Commission regarding potential conflicts of interest for one member of the City Council and a candidate currently being considered to fill an empty council seat.

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Northport City Attorney Ron Davis confirmed to Patch that concerns were raised on social media that District 1 Councilwoman Christy Bobo works as an asset intelligence business development consultant at Randall-Reilly, which is the same company that employs District 3 candidate Karl D. Wiggins, who works as its vice president of information technology.

"I am requesting an informal opinion from the Ethics Commission just to be safe," Davis told Patch. "But it seems absurd to me that just because an applicant works for a company with over 600 employees, that alone would somehow disqualify voting on the District 3 replacement."

The two do not work in the same division, Davis said, but went on to mention that the city was doing its due diligence to ensure that no ethical statutes would be violated if Bobo cast a vote either for or against Wiggins.

"Before COVID they worked in separate buildings and may have had incidental contact," he said. "Now, the council member works from home and there is absolutely no contact at all. They are not personal friends — they just both happen to work for the same large company. I fail to see that there would be any conflict or unethical conduct."

The Alabama Ethics Commission defines a conflict of interest as: "A conflict on the part of a public official or public employee between his or her private interests and the official responsibilities inherent in an office of public trust. A conflict of interest involves any action, inaction, or decision by a public official or public employee in the discharge of his or her official duties which would materially affect his or her financial interest or those of his or her family members or any business with which the person is associated in a manner different from the manner it affects the other members of the class to which he or she belongs.”

Davis then provided the example that another council member — District 4's Jamie Dykes —works for the University of Alabama and then asked if that would would preclude her from voting for someone they don’t even know because they both work for the UA System?

"Clearly not, the test is if there is any possibility of financial gain to the elected official or his or her family members by this vote," he argued. "There is none. So no reason to be precluded from voting. That makes about as much sense to say I couldn’t vote for an Alabama football fan because I am one as well. The question is financial gain. Just because you happen to work for the same large corporation but in totally different areas is not a conflict or violation of the Alabama Ethics Law. What if you go to the same church? What if you have children that go to the same school? The list could go on and on. The point is, where is the financial gain?"

A total of seven candidates have applied for the open District 3 seat and each applicant interviewed with members of the Council and city officials on Friday.

The Council has until the last Monday of the month — Feb. 27 — to fill the seat, which marks 60 days from when the vacancy opened following the abrupt resignation of former Mayor Bobby Herndon.

The appointment must be voted on in public either at a regular council meeting or a special called meeting. The Northport City Council will hold its next regular meeting Monday, Feb. 6 at 5:30 p.m.

Davis said it is unlikely the Council will take action on filling the open seat until the Alabama Ethics Commission adds clarity to the situation at hand.

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