An Alabama small town near Birmingham has become known for its raucous politics, loud and belligerent public meetings.

But the latest gathering of the Tarrant City Council featured a farewell speech that shocked even seasoned observers.

Tarrant resident and activist Jackie Beltaine used the public comment period Monday night to say “thank you” – along with a few other more pointed words – to city leaders before she moves away next week.

Beltaine said she ended up reading the city code, state laws, court cases and much of the state constitution just to understand the dysfunction in her own city.

“But I learned more from you guys than I ever did in any civics class ever,” she said. “So I just wanted to thank you because I never would have learned any of this stuff if y’all had learned to work together and work as one,” she said.

She then ended her comments by lifting her middle finger.

“F***you, F*** you, F*** you, F*** you, F*** you, F*** you…” she said, gesturing to leaders seated at the dais and then pointing to the city clerk. “And F*** you too.”

A series of legal, political and personal fights among the mayor and council has left the town of 6,000 bitterly divided for more than four years. Tarrant is just northeast of Birmingham.

Beltaine is the founder of the “Tarrant Tattler” social media site. The site that originally declared itself as a place for online satire transformed into a source of news and cutting commentary on city affairs.

It became a forum where Tarrant residents shared information, traded gossip, and expressed overall frustration with their government.

Writers, who maintain their anonymity, back up their reporting with original source material, including the lawsuits and updates that have become synonymous with Tarrant city politics.

“This is the last time I’m going to be addressing y’all. Some of you are going to be very happy to see me go and get rid of me and my loud mouth,” said Beltaine, who has been a vocal supporter of Mayor Wayman Newton and a critic of the city council.

“Thank you for being dysfunctional. It forced me to educate myself,” Beltaine said. “I wanted to be able to understand what was supposed to happen, what was happening and address my concerns in an intelligent manner, so I had to go to the books.”

Newton laughed at Beltaine’s presentation while the council members expressed offense.

Newton said that worse things have been said in the council chamber.

“She was pretty vocal about things going on in the city but the things she vocalized were the sentiments of most people living in the city,” he told AL.com later. “It probably won’t be spoken above a whisper, put into print or put on social media.”

Newton himself has used coarse language in exchanges with his foes on the council. One exchange led to a punch being thrown at him by Councilman Tommy Bryant.

Newton was also accused of using profanity in political confrontations outside the chamber.

On the other hand, councilwoman and mayor pro tem Tracie Threadford – who is running for mayor against Newton – called out Beltaine’s presentation for being profane.

“I would not dare allow any citizen to come in and disrespect my colleagues on the dais in that manner,” Threadford told AL.com. “That was uncalled for. Has Tarrant gone this low?”

Threadford is one of two candidates seeking to unseat Newton in the Aug. 26 city elections.

While some were offended by her profanity, Beltaine said city leaders themselves have been the most offensive by their own coarse language, public bickering and lack of progress.

“I’m not saying anything that other people haven’t thought about,” she said later. “And I’m leaving, so it was the perfect time for me to say what so many people have been wanting to say and I can.”

The Tarrant Tattler might be going away, but in her absence, Beltaine urged residents to continue to read, research and challenge their government.

“I literally had to go and learn all this stuff if I wanted to present any intelligent argument to the council,” she said, “I wanted to be able to present my argument with a little bit of knowledge behind it.”

Tarrant council meetings often begin with tension and end after raised voices and insults from both city leaders and residents in the audience.

The official public comment period is reserved for the end of the meeting, but protocol usually dissolves long before then as residents ask questions, deliver commentary and shout from their seats. But Beltaine on Monday waited for her turn at the end of the meeting.

While the mayor was the only official on the dais who laughed at her middle finger farewell, Beltaine said her words and gestures were pointed toward all the city leaders, including the mayor.

Beltaine said she supported the mayor’s policies but at times disagreed with even his actions.

“I flicked them all off,” Beltaine said. “He drives me crazy too. I’m not aligned with the mayor. That’s what everybody thinks, but I’m not.”

After downsizing her belongings, Beltaine said she will travel the country in her camper, but thoughts of Tarrant won’t be far away.

“I just really wanted to leave with a bang and be memorable,” she said.