COWARTS: Houston County 911 dispatched Houston County Sheriff Deputies and Ashford Police to Cowarts City Hall to disorderly subjects, reported to be armed.
The information was Cowarts Mayor Elect, Greg Odom, had a locksmith at the City Hall having the locks changed on the building. Ashford Police was first on the scene and called for backup units, which were already enroute.
There was a locksmith truck at the city hall on arrival of law enforcement.
The Mayor election for Cowarts was very heated. The current mayor of 15 or so years, Randy Rowland, was defeated by fellow councilmember Greg Odom for Mayor. However, Randy Rowland is still Mayor until the official changing of guards on Monday. And Cowarts City Hall is open for business on Thursday and Friday. And until 12 AM on Monday Rowland is still the Mayor.
Law Enforcement told the current Mayor there were no criminal charges which could be lodged against Odom. Which the locksmith, according to Mayor Randy Rowland, told him that Odom called him to change the locks.
Finally the original locks were changed back, Mayor Rowland took possession of city hall back, the Deputies were back in service, and no one went to jail.
According to articles that RSN has read in the Alabama League of Municipalities, a councilman has ZERO authority, except in an official meeting when the majority of the council votes in favor of a motion. Other than that a single councilman or even a majority of the council present, but not in an official meeting where a motion passed, has no authority.
Odom is a current councilman but there was no meeting tonight so there was no way an official vote could be taken. And even though Mayor Elect, Odom has no official power until the changing of the guards on Monday. Therefore if Odom called the locksmith and directed to change the locks he has no legal authority to do so.
The current Mayor was told the District Attorney probably would not presecute the matter. But failure to do so is willful neglect of duty on the part of the District Attorney if the current Mayor decided to press charges.
Because it is no different then a District Attorney Elect thinking he can go prosecute a case before he officially takes office. The courts would laugh him out of the courthouse.
The final outcome tonight, the locks restored to the original locks. the current Mayor Randy Rowland has gone inside City Hall to see if anything was tampered with, all others have left, no one went to jail, and everyone gone.
