Birmingham City Council vote over District 7 appointment ends in deadlock

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Lonnie Malone_Wardine Alexander
Lonnie Malone, Wardine Alexander [Photo Credit: Alabama Today via Facebook]

The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday found itself in a deadlock over an appointment to fill the District 7 seat vacated by Jay Roberson in August.

After hearing from District 7 residents, the council cast their votes.

Former city council candidate Lonnie Malone received votes from Councilors John Hilliard, Lashunda Scales, Sheila Tyson and Steven Hoyt voted for him. Meanwhile, Councilors Valerie Abbott, William Parker, Hunter Williams and Darrell O’Quinn voted for Wardine Alexander, the former Birmingham Board of Education president.

In an effort to move past the deadlock, the voted again and remained with a 4 to 4 tie, and the Council voted to delay the agenda item until next week.

Last week, Councilors interviewed the 11 candidates who applied for the District 7 seat. Prior to being interviewed, two of the original 13 applicants took their names out of the running for the position.

Before Tuesday’s vote, five people who completed the interview process were nominated including Alexander and Malone, as well as Charles Crockrum, Raymond Brooks and Walter Wilson.

President Pro Tem

The Council was also slated to discuss the an appointment of a Council President Pro Tem. While Councilor Hoyt nominated William Parker, Councilor Scales did not want to vote until District 7 was represented.

“If we do not have a person appointed to District 7, I think that it would be unfair of us to appoint someone right now. They will have to work with the Pro Tem. I think this item is improperly before us,” Scales said.

Appointment of a President Pro Tem has also been delayed.