West said for the city to decide to enforce the code after campaigning had begun and after Nix said the code was not going to be enforced was unfair.

Nix has acknowledged that it was a misunderstanding between himself and City Attorney Everett Sanders that led to some confusion early on about sign code enforcement.

The aldermen voted at the April 10 meeting to authorize the planning department to give verbal and written notice to candidates with signs in illegal locations, that exceeded the size allowed by code or that were not properly permitted. Candidates were to be given one or two days to comply after the notice.

West said he received a letter from the planning department at 1:30 p.m. Monday asking him to remove his signs on private property exceeding the size allowed by code or planning staff would remove them by 5 p.m. Monday

West told the board four hours was not enough notice to comply with the code, and he said for the city to decide the week before the election to enforce the code was arbitrary.

Gray, who made the motion to allow the signs to remain posted, said since Nix has said the city was not going to enforce the code, the signs should be left alone.

Middleton said after the meeting that he understood the vote to mean that the city would now not be enforcing the political sign code at all.

Mathis suggested that the aldermen figure out the sign ordinance after the new board takes office July 1.

“I would suggest that you get out of here as fast as you can and put up whatever signs you want,” she said.

Ward 6 Alderman Dan Dillard said he believed that the three former mayors running in the election should not have to be told what city law is to obey it.

“All three of you know what the law is…I think you should know it,” he said.

West said he had obeyed the law until it was indicated that the city would not be enforcing the code.

Click here to see a video of the meeting by Bruce Video Productions.