A savings of over $2 million in bond debt for the City of Auburn was approved by the Auburn City Council with a bond refinancing deal in the last meeting of the term on Tuesday, Oct. 21.
Four council members, Arthur Dowdell, Robin Kelley, Bob Norman and Tom Worden, will be leaving the City Council when the newly elected members are sworn in on Nov. 3. In one of their last acts, the council unanimously approved the bond deal with The Frazer Lanier Company Inc., an investment banker firm.
Not all council members were happy to be leaving.
"Let the record show that Ward 1 is still on [going] with the election contest," Dowdell said at the end of the meeting.
Dowdell has contested the election claiming Clemon Byrd isn't a resident of the ward.
Byrd won the Aug. 26 election with a vote count of 246 to 147.
Larry Taylor, Dowdell's brother, has a lawsuit pending against Byrd, but it was filed late, according to court documents.
Judge Jacob A. Walker has given lawyers in the case until Oct. 27 to file briefs on if the lawsuit should proceed.
Dowdell also said he was pursuing other avenues to contest the election.
"The FBI met with me," Dowdell said. "I presented all of our evidence to the FBI, and he said he was going to present this case to the Attorney General because he felt it was warranted."
Mayor Bill Ham presented a commendation to the outgoing council members recognizing their service to the city.
"I accept this (the commendation), but I know I'm the only legitimate City Councilman in Ward 1," Dowdell said after the meeting.
- Other items discussed at the council meeting:
- Approved a liquor license for a new restaurant called Duval's located at 675 Opelika Road
- Approved the purchase of 14 new vehicles for various city departments, including one $99,000 garbage truck; the total cost for the 14 vehicles was $531,701.36
- Approved annexation of a lot adjacent to Lee-Scott Academy
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