SILVERHILL, Alabama — The search continues for a new police chief in Silverhill while the town continues to operate with the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Department providing assistance.

Baldwin County Sheriff Huey “Hoss” Mack Jr. addressed council members during a work session held Monday, March 7 at town hall.

“My intention is to give an update every 30 days, but because of the weather I was unable to make it to the last meeting,” Mack said. “Consider this a 45-day, 30-day update.”

Mack said the Sheriff’s Department is completing an audit of the town’s police records to determine concerns of how best to assist local law enforcement while providing protection for the town.

“I want to say thank you to Lt. John Aldrich and Deputy Bob Correa for their help in making this a smooth transition,” Mack said. “We want to continue to assist in any way we can to ensure the safety of residents in Silverhill.”

The Sheriff’s Department has also obtained permission to have cases worked by the BCSO to be tried in the town’s municipal court rather than District Court. Mack also addressed the volume of open cases in town.

“You’re looking at about 100 cases, most involving alias warrants, traffic cases, failure to appear, things like that,” Mack said. “At some point in the future we will try and hold an amnesty day, where people can come in and if they pay their fine, will not face any further charges.”

Mack addressed two specific concerns in the town, including a report of a series of break-ins and a report of someone being stabbed while walking down the street.

“The break-ins were more like walk-ins with most of the vehicles reported being unlocked. We issued a message on Facebook cautioning residents to keep their homes and cars locked. We have also made some arrests that could have been related to the break-ins and that seems to have quieted down for the time being,” Mack said. “The stabbing report has been closed as unfounded and the person who reported it is no longer in the area.”

Mack also reported a productive “Coffee with the Sheriff” on Feb. 4 which was attended by about 30 residents at Café Acadiana.

“I think if the worst things people complain about in Silverhill are people leaving their garbage out too long, noise and traffic complaints, then you’re doing OK,” Mack said. “Those are some of the same concerns that we hear from residents all over Baldwin County.”

The Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce is planning to hold a Coffee with the Sheriff event beginning at 7 a.m. Friday, April 8 at Willie T’s in Robertsdale.

Mayor Tim Wilson said Monday that the town is still in the process of receiving applications for police chief and hopes to begin the interview process in April.

Council members met with town attorney Josh Myrick in an executive session for about 30 minutes during Monday’s meeting to discuss “imminent litigation,” Myrick said. Mack and Aldrich were also included in the meeting.

A complaint has been filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of Kim Wasdin, who was fired from her position as Silverhill’s police chief on Jan. 14.

In other business Monday, Council member Jared Lyles discussed the town’s taking back control of the concession stands at the town’s ball park after receiving word that the Central Baldwin Baseball League would not be using the fields again this year.

Lyles said he has been in contact with travel teams about using the fields. He also thanked Scottie Smith and the Silverhill Public Works Department for their work in making improvements to one of the ballfields.

“I have received word that the ballfield that was in need of repairs is now better than the other field in town,” Lyles said, “so I want to say how much we appreciate all the work the town crews did in making those improvements.”

The council also authorized Fire Chief Gary Patrick to purchase security lights for the town’s Fire Department and approved annexation and R-1 zoning for the Witherington property on West Boulevard.