FAIRHOPE, Ala. — On the eve of the country’s presidential election, Fairhope’s newly-elected City Council met Monday for the first time and elected Councilwoman Debbie Quinn as its president.

“There are a lot of opportunities for us to move the city forward,” Council President Quinn said. “It’s my sincere hope that we can pull together and address issues with openness and transparency. I thank you for this opportunity.”

After taking the oath of office from Alabama Circuit Judge James H. Reid, Quinn started her third term on the council Monday night, and was joined on the dais by returning council members Mike Ford and Dan Stankoski, and new members Rick Kingrea and Lonnie Mixon.

Mayor Tim Kant, starting his third term, was also sworn in with the council.

By state law, a new council’s first meeting is an organizational one and that happened quickly Monday night, with members appointed to committees and other actions taken, but with occasional objections from Ford, who voted against Quinn’s election as president.

Ford also voted against a measure that would have allowed a vote on the adoption of the council’s rules of procedure.

“Can you tell us what was changed before we vote?” asked Ford, referring to any difference between the current rules of procedure and those presented Monday.

“They’re in the Handbook for Mayors and Councilmembers,” said City Attorney Marion “Tut” Wynne, apparently referring to the document from which the proposed ordinance was drafted.

No one answered Ford’s question as to those specific changes in the proposed ordinance, although City Clerk Lisa Hanks did say most of the changes involved “verbiage.”

The rules of procedure ordinance will be considered at the next council meeting on Monday, Nov. 10, Quinn said. At that time, no procedural vote will be required to suspend the rules and vote on it as was required Monday, and thus a vote regarding the new ordinance is expected next week, Wynne said.

Quinn appointed these council members as chairmen to the following standing committees:

(1) Finance, Budget and Audit: Mixon; (2) Public Safety: Kingrea; (3) Public Works: Ford; and (4) Utilities: Quinn.

She also appointed Stankoski to this year’s term, which ends on Aug. 31, 2009, as the council representative on the Planning and Zoning Commission.

The following “study groups” were on the council’s agenda, although it was unclear if they were formally adopted by the council or what their organizational missions were.

However, Quinn appointed the following members as chairs to these bodies: (1) Public Safety: Stankoski; (2) Ordinance/Judicial Review: Kingrea; (3) Growth and Sustainability Issues: Quinn; and (4) Finance: Mixon.

Quinn said the study groups were expected to have their work done within approximately three months but they could last longer. She said local residents would be encouraged to participate in the proceedings.

Kant noted that such meetings would have to follow state Open Meetings Law requirements.

The council also made temporary appointments to the following city official positions: City Clerk Lisa Hanks, City Treasurer Nancy Wilson and Police Chief Mike Comalander.

Quinn said Wynne’s position was not an appointed one but he would be given a three-month contract at his current rate of $2,000 per month to attend council and related meetings, with additional legal work reimbursed at a rate of $150 per hour.

“We also need to appoint four more people to the Strategic Planning (Steering Committee),” said Quinn, referring to a committee established by the council earlier this year on which three resident appointments have been made. The mayor and one council member are also members of the nine-person committee. She said council members should get nominations to Hanks by Wednesday so they could be considered for appointment at next week’s council meeting.

Although the proposed rules of procedure set up an agenda that does not include an item for mayor’s comments as has been done historically, such an item was on Monday’s agenda.

“I pledge tonight to work with this council,” Kant said. “As I start my third term, I plan to listen more and make sure the council understand the finances of this city. I will sit down with each one of you as often as needed for you to understand. I look forward to this community understanding as well.”

The council and community will have its first opportunity regarding that issue when the first meeting of the new Finance, Budget and Audit Committee convenes at City Hall this morning, at 8.

“I would like to have all the (city) department heads at that meeting,” said Councilman and Committee Chair Mixon.