News Coverage · Taylor, Alabama

Taylor, Alabama News Coverage

Rickey Stokes News attends and records Taylor City Council meetings. This page collects his coverage of Taylor in one place, newest first, going back to the 2025 mayor's race, so residents can follow what has happened before and since the city's administration changed in November 2025.

Each link goes to his site. The headlines and opinions are his; the short descriptions are mine.

Links to outside reporting and opinion. Please read the disclaimer at the end of this page.

2026

• Oct 6, 2026“Taylor Council Meeting – Mayor Absent – Drama Free – Councilman Jerry Kelly Stopped Progress”Opinion-heavy report on the October 6 council meeting, led by the Mayor Pro Tem with the Mayor out sick. Stokes says council members did not get agendas until they arrived, and that new measures, including one requiring council approval to hire a police chief, could not be taken up after one councilman voted against suspending the rules.
• Oct 5, 2026“Tuesday Night – Two Interesting Meetings”Opinion piece ahead of the October 6 Taylor council meeting. Stokes says the Mayor fired the newly hired city attorney without telling the council, and that the Magistrate attended a conference after the council turned down the request. Also covers Cottonwood.
• Sep 11, 2026“Taylor Mayor Robert Lamb FIRES Senior Citizens Director”Reports that the Mayor fired the city's longtime Senior Citizens Director after earlier cutting the job to part time. Also reviews how the council handled the police chief's termination.
• Aug 12, 2026“Taylor City Council Meeting”Report on the August 11 council meeting: a correction to the prior minutes, and a home builder's request that was referred to Planning and Zoning.
• Jul 21, 2026“Taylor Mayor Robert “Handlebar” Lamb Shows He Is A IDIOT Tonight”Opinion-heavy report on the July 21 council meeting: a dispute over adding an item to the agenda and whether the Mayor has veto power. The council voted to join the Houston County Mayors Association.
• Jun 23, 2026“Taylor City Council Meeting”Stokes did not attend this meeting. He reports, as his understanding, that the Mayor appointed Tim Miller interim police chief without a council vote, and revisits the Brazier termination.
• Jun 2, 2026“Taylor City Council Meeting”Report on a council meeting where former Mayor Billy Snell addressed the Mayor and council. Also covers the recall petition and city finances.
• Apr 22, 2026“Reports Are Taylor Mayor Robert Lamb Calling and Complaining To People Who Signed The Recall Petition”Says a recall petition was served on the council members and the City Clerk the night before, with the Mayor absent, and passes along reports that the Mayor called some signers to complain.
• Apr 21, 2026“Petition To Recall Taylor Mayor Presented To Taylor City Council”Report on a council meeting held without the Mayor, including council discussion of how the city attorney was chosen.
• Apr 7, 2026“Taylor City Council Meeting”Brief post on the regular council meeting.
• Apr 4, 2026“MORE PROBLEMS IN TAYLOR – Citizens Time For A Change”Reports that a longtime city employee quit and a water department employee was fired, and raises questions about a training expense paid from the court fund.
• Mar 17, 2026“Taylor Turmoil With Mayor Robert Lamb”Report on the March 17 council meeting: a training expense that had already been paid from court funds, and remarks to the council by former Mayor Billy Snell.
• Mar 12, 2026“Some Trees Reported Down – Damage”Running storm log for the area. Notes that deputies answered a Taylor call because, Stokes says, no Taylor police officer was on duty.
• Mar 3, 2026“DRAMA Outside Taylor City Hall When Officer Tim Miller Threatens Arrest If People Do Not Leave Council Chambers”Reports that people were ordered out of the council chambers under threat of arrest during an executive session, and that a woman was issued a court summons over a copy of the city personnel manual.
• Mar 3, 2026“Taylor City Council Meeting … Watch The END”Report with video of the March 3 meeting: a councilman asked for an executive session, the Mayor ordered the chambers cleared, and citizens gathered recall signatures outside.
• Feb 19, 2026“Taylor City Council Meeting – Mayor Out of Line”Opinion-heavy report: the Mayor's exchange with a woman in the audience, no council motion to hire a police chief, and the Mayor leaving during an executive session.
• Feb 15, 2026“If Taylor City Council Does Not WAKE UP – Taylor Could Deplete A Lot of Money”Opinion piece arguing the Brazier termination did not follow the city's personnel rules or Alabama law and could cost the city money.
• Feb 9, 2026“Tim Miller Back In Taylor As Police Officer”Reports that the acting police chief rehired former officer Tim Miller, and that hiring a police chief was set for the February 17 agenda.
• Feb 4, 2026“Policy and Procedure Manual For Taylor Alabama”Posts the city's personnel manual, which Stokes says city staff had treated as not a public record.
• Feb 3, 2026“Taylor Mayor Gets Mad Because Councilman Brought Up Issues”Report on the February 3 meeting: routine votes, the police chief decision moved to February 17, and a possible Open Meetings question about candidate interviews.
• Jan 8, 2026“The Residents Of Taylor Will Owe James Brazier MONEY – EACH DAY COST MORE”Argues the city may owe Brazier back pay since November 3, 2025, citing Alabama Code § 11-43-230 on hearings before a police officer is terminated.
• Jan 7, 2026“Kenny Thompson Should Know Better – Taylor City Council CONNING Citizens – THOMPSON SHOULD RESIGN”Opinion-heavy report on the January 6 council meeting, led by the Mayor Pro Tem in the Mayor's absence: the audit presented in executive session, a councilman's request for written guidance on the Brazier termination, a drug policy discussion, and citizen questions.
• Jan 7, 2026“Key Decisions and Safety Concerns Raised at Taylor Commission Meeting”Summary of the January 6 meeting: employee payments, the annual audit, playground fencing, and concern about hiring a new police chief without written guidance from the League of Municipalities.
• Jan 6, 2026“Taylor City Council Meeting”Video of the January 6 council meeting.
• Jan 2, 2026“City of Taylor Police Update – WILLFUL NEGLECT OF DUTY ON SITTING CITY COUNCIL”Reports two emergency calls in Taylor that sheriff's deputies answered because, Stokes says, no Taylor police officer was on duty.

2025

• Dec 27, 2025“Taylor Mayor DOES NOT Have It Under Control”Opinion piece saying the council had not acted on the Brazier termination, and reporting that no Taylor police officer was on duty during a reported assault call near the city limits.
• Dec 18, 2025“To The Sitting Council Of Taylor and Registered Voters Of Taylor”Opinion piece questioning the advertising for a new police chief before the council had acted on the Brazier termination.
• Dec 16, 2025“Taylor Regular Council – Goes Into Executive Session”Report on the council meeting: employee bonuses, then an executive session on pending legal matters.
• Nov 18, 2025“Taylor City Council Meeting”Report on the council meeting: a new councilman's first session, animal shelter services, playground improvements, and a possible move of the police department.
• Nov 5, 2025“Tuesday Night – Taylor City Council Meeting”Reports that Brazier appealed his termination to the council, and that council members voiced concern about the city's legal exposure.
• Nov 3, 2025“Municipal Drama Will Be Plentyful – Several People Are Being Abused”Commentary on swearing-in day in several area towns, including Taylor.
• Nov 3, 2025“New Taylor Mayor Takes Office At 8 AM – Dismisses Police Chief By 8:45 AM”Reports that the new Mayor took office at 8 AM and dismissed Police Chief James Brazier by 8:45 AM.
• Aug 26, 2025“ELECTION 2025”Election-night results for area towns, including a mayor's race listed as Carothers 92, Lamb 128, Singleton 5. The article does not label that race with a town name.
• Jul 8, 2025“Hot Sheet Cases Filed in 20th Judicial Circuit July 7, 2025”Court filing list for July 7, 2025. Includes the civil suit Willie Carpenter vs. Raymond Horn, case 38-CV-2025-900330.
• May 8, 2025 · Where it started“Taylor Mayor and Town Council Hire New Police Chief”Reports that Mayor Billy Snell and the Town Council voted unanimously to hire James Brazier as police chief, and describes his law enforcement background.

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