DEKALB COUNTY, AL (WAFF) -
A DeKalb County man is upset he wasn't allowed to qualify for a Rainsville city council seat.
A portion of his property is inside the city limits, but city officials deemed the portion where his home is was outside city limits.
Tuesday is the final day of qualifying for the Rainsville municipal elections.
Timothy Carson feels it's unfair because a portion of his property is at least inside the city limits.
He said the incumbent doesn't even live in the city of Rainsville at all.
"The property that I live on, a small portion of it, is within the city limits of Rainsville," said Carson.
When Carson went to qualify for the Rainsville city council, he was told no.
"But on the voters list, he votes in Pine Ridge," said Rainsville Mayor Donnie Chandler.
That's a county voting precinct. But Carson feels he should be able to qualify.
"I ought to considering there is a city council member that doesn't live in the city limits, and he's already been on the board and running again," he said.
"So where does Fred Bobo live? 135 Croft Street," said councilman Fred Bobo.
Bobo admitted he has properties inside the city limits, lives on Croft Street, but has a home on Love Road that is outside the city limits.
But a check with the DeKalb County Property Tax Office shows his homestead exemption is on the home outside the city limits. So he receives a property tax break for claiming he lives outside the city limits, but receives $600 a month as a councilman claiming he lives inside the city limits.
"If you owned four homes and you could get a little bit better deal on your retirement home down the road, what would you do?" Bobo asked.
"It's just a politician that's using the system to get what he wants and really disregard his constituency," said Carson.
Ken Smith with the Alabama League of Municipalities said they urge cities not to get involved in such disputes and to qualify people like Bobo.
He said if there are questions about a person's residency, then they should challenge them in a court of law.
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Timothy Carson is upset he doesn't qualify to run for Rainsville city council seat due to his residency.
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