DAPHNE, Alabama - If the Daphne City Council was hoping to avoid a period of time when the city would be without a permanent mayor they failed, as the next meeting to name a replacement will come 16 hours after Fred Small’s resignation goes into effect midnight Sunday. But Council President Cathy Barnette, who is one of two councilors to be nominated to the position of mayor along with Derek Boulware, said she hopes the Council’s third opportunity to settle the issue will be the charm.

“The Council wants to put our department heads and employees minds to rest. There’s a strong desire to make a decision and hopefully we can do that Monday night,” Barnette said. “We know Daphne better than (Gov. Bentley) does and no one wants to leave the decision to him. But one way or the other, the city will continue to operate and function because we have professionals in place capable of doing their jobs.”

On Monday, Barnette and Boulware were nominated to the position of mayor by councilmen John Lake and Kelly Reese, respectively, but neither managed to win a majority vote from the rest of the Council.

After the meeting, Barnette indicated that was expecting the support of a majority of the council, but several members abstained from voting until she could meet a municipal ordinance requiring the mayor to be bonded in the amount of $500,000.

Whoever is selected by the Council will serve the remaining one-year term vacated by Small, while assuming his $76,000 annual salary.

In other business:

The Council adopted a resolution supporting the D’Olive Watershed Management Plan, a 400-page report finalized in August 2010 detailing storm water runoff problems at D’Olive Creek, Tiawasee Creek and Joe’s Branch.

The Council approved a $2,500 lodging tax appropriation for replace the stairs at the Bay Front Park Richard Scardamalia Pavilion building.

The Council amended the FY 2011 budget for a $60,386 appropriation for sidewalks along a portion of Randall Avenue.