Tallassee mayor Johnny Hammock has been removed from his post as utilities superintendent.
The Tallassee City Council approved the motion unanimously on Tuesday after nearly an hour spent in executive session with the mayor.
The action comes following a special called meeting of the council last Thursday in which the council met without Hammock in executive session for more than an hour and then with Hammock for another 30 minutes before reconvening the meeting. The council adjourned without taking any action at that time.
The first clue in Tuesday’s regular council meeting wasn’t until the mayor’s report, when Hammock said “I’m finishing up my last five years here at city hall at the end of the month. I’ve really enjoyed it.”
Hammock then gave a laundry list of everything accomplished in that time period, including $5 million in grants, an Alabama Community of Excellence recognition, the replacement of streets, the restructuring of the police department, upgraded lights, the refurbishment of the library and new police cameras.
“How many bank robbers did we catch off the cameras?” Hammock asked the police chief, who responded “two.”
The mayor also brought up the new Tallassee High School project, one of his campaign promises.
“It’s been a wild ride and I’ve really enjoyed the last five years, and that’s all I have for mayor’s reports,” Hammock concluded.
Councilmembers did not comment on the mayor’s speech in the council’s report.
Hammock is finishing the first year of his second term as mayor, having won reelection last year.
In August, Hammock, a member of the Elmore County Republican Party executive committee, announced he was running for Public Service Commission Place 1. The Republican primary will be held in May 2022.