Mobile councilors can apply for city grants • Alabama Reflector

The Alabama Ethics Commission said Wednesday a Mobile City Council member could apply for city grants to improve a structure in the city he owns after a commission attorney said he did not have the authority to withdraw small amounts of money from the program to distribute.

The Mobile City Council has created a tax increment financing district to fund improvements downtown. A few years later, the City Council voted to renew the designation in 2023. K. Paul Carbo, Jr., an attorney representing the Mobile City Council, asked the commission whether Mobile City Councilman William Carroll, who voted in favor of the extension, could apply for a grant.

A message was sent to Carroll’s office seeking comment Wednesday.

“His business interests include renovating homes in various historic districts and selling them to potential buyers,” Brian Paterson, deputy general counsel for the Alabama Ethics Commission, said during Wednesday’s commission meeting. “Mr. Carroll purchased a structure that is a historic property in the county and he has no decision-making authority over the distribution of smaller grants under the program.”

Paterson said the state’s ethics laws “do not prohibit public officials from applying for publicly available grants.”

The commission said Carroll could apply provided that he “exercises his position, including confidential information obtained from his position and his equipment, facilities, time, materials, human labor or other public property under his discretion or.” “Business.”

Commissioners also said Richard Fikes of Jasper, who works as an attorney for the law firm of Jackson, Fikes & Brakefield and wants to become chief clerk of the Walker County Probate Court, may provide legal services to private clients while also serving as an attorney-at-law, provided he has his Do not exploit position for personal gain.

The commission also approved a 4% raise for Tom Albritton, the commission’s executive director.

The salary increase was based on a performance review. Albritton’s current salary was not publicly disclosed during the process, but according to Alabama Checkbook, a website that tracks public employee salaries, Albritton received just over $214,000 in the 2024 fiscal year that ended Sept. 30 .

The raise approved by the commission will bring his future salary to nearly $223,000 per year.

“I’m grateful to the commissioners for agreeing to this,” Albritton said in an interview after the meeting. “I have very committed staff and I think the commission recognized that today. It’s always great to hear from them and have their support.”

Before voting on the measure, commissioners expressed gratitude for Albritton’s work as well as the staff who support him.

“After reviewing the job description of the Executive Director position and based on our knowledge of the Director’s performance in this role as well as our knowledge of staff performance, we conclude that the current Director is performing the duties of the position satisfactorily “including managing staff, the Commission’s finances,” said Ed Crowell, chairman of the Alabama Ethics Commission. “We are satisfied with the work of the investigators and other employees of the commission.”