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Prichard council pauses on acting finance director appointment amid dispute over merit‑system status
Summary
The Prichard City Council discussed whether the mayor’s appointee for acting finance director, Ms. Patricia Scott, is subject to the Mobile County Personnel Board under Alabama Code §11‑43C‑64 and voted to table final signer authorization pending a written clarification from Director Moore or the personnel board.
The Prichard City Council on June 15 paused action to add an administration appointee as a city bank-account signer after members raised legal questions about whether the finance director position is subject to the Mobile County Personnel Board.
The council heard from its attorney, who said they had emailed Director Moore asking for a written explanation reconciling the current classification of the finance director with Alabama Code §11‑43C‑64 and requested a prompt response because a pending bank signatory authorization depends on that classification. “We request that you provide a written explanation of the legal and administrative basis upon which the finance director position is currently classified with the Mobile Personnel Board,” the attorney said, reading from the message sent to Director Moore.
The administration stated that Ms. Patricia Scott has been named the acting finance director; council members said they had not yet received an appointment letter or written documentation and asked for the appointment in writing before moving to add her as a fiduciary signer on city accounts. Council members also asked the personnel board for the job listing and qualifications for the finance director position.
The central legal question discussed was whether the finance director, whom the statute describes as appointed by the mayor, “shall not be subject to the provisions of the merit system” under §11‑43C‑64, while the administration and personnel staff reportedly interpret the statute to allow placement under the Mobile Personnel Board. Council members said that if the appointee chooses to remain under the personnel board, rules and qualifications administered by that board might apply.
Faced with those conflicting interpretations and without a written response from Director Moore or the Mobile Personnel Board, a council member moved to table the item until the requested clarification is provided; the motion was seconded. The motion to table was made during the finance‑item discussion; the transcript records the motion and the second but does not contain a full roll-call result for that specific motion in the excerpt provided. Later in the session the council took a motion to adjourn; the transcript records recorded 'Yes' votes from several members (including Councilwoman Williams, Norwood and Councilwoman Gaddis) but does not provide a complete tally for all members in the provided excerpt.
Council members also asked whether the administration would provide AccountMate training for the appointee and requested copies of the personnel board’s position listing so they could determine which qualifications would apply if the candidate remained under the merit system.
Next steps are procedural: the council asked for a written response from Director Moore or the Mobile Personnel Board clarifying the legal and administrative basis of the finance director’s classification and said it will revisit the signer authorization once that documentation is received.
