Councilman Arthur Dowdell spoke for 12 minutes at the end of the 22 minute city councilmeeting, claiming his opponent in the Aug. 26 election, Clemon Byrd, does not live in Ward 1.
"My residence is 1116 Martin Luther King Drive," Byrd said. "That is my residence."
The location falls under the district lines of Ward 1.
"Outside of the statements made at the council meeting, we're not aware of any police officers having campaigned for any candidates," Director of Public Affairs, David Dorton, said. "We've requested, but haven't seen, the evidence the talked about at themeeting.
Dowdell also held up photographs saying uniformed police were campaigning for Byrd.
"These police officers are in uniform with their guns and branded across their chest is 'the City of Auburn' and they are campaigning for Clemon Byrd," Dowdell said.
Byrd was an Auburn police officer for 15 years.
The photographs of officers Bill Schallock and Keith Horne with Byrd were from an Auburn Housing Authority community hosted block party, according to Byrd.
"The photos were originally posted to my campaign Facebook page," Byrd said. "We then took them off of the campaign page and they are strictly on my personal Facebook page."
A resolution for the street closures required for the University homecoming parade was also unanimously passed at the Tuesday. Aug. 16 city council meeting after members of the Auburn SGA presented the planned route.
SGA members Colson Smith and Rachel Berube told the council the University Lawn cannot be used for this year's concert and another location will have to be found.
Before the council meeting, the Committee of the Whole failed to add a resolution to the city council's agenda giving city retirees a one-time bonus that would have cost the city approximately $80,000.
Municipalities in Alabama vote individually to give their retirees a cost of living adjustment that would then be paid pack by the state the following year.
The city will not meet until after the Aug. 31 deadline and will not qualify for the program, according to Mayor Bill Ham.
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