For the third time in less than two years, Hampton is looking for a new city manager.
After convening in executive session at the end of its November 13 regular meeting, the Hampton City Council voted 4-3 to terminate its employment contract with city manager Charles Coney, seven months after he was named to the position.
The motion was made by Errol Mitchell and seconded by Henry Byrd. Voting in favor were Mitchell, Byrd and Stephanie Bodie. Elton Brown, Ann Tarpley and Willie Turner voted no, meaning Mayor Steve Hutchison was forced to break the tie. He also voted in favor of terminating Coney.
Included in the motion were the following reasons: “not providing the budget, not listening to citizens, and not interacting with the council.” No one on the council made any further comment on the move, and the meeting was adjourned immediately after the vote.
Coney was named to the position in April, succeeding Daryl Dotschay, who served just under a year. His predecessor, Tommy Engram, spent about two years on the job.
Just a month earlier, the council passed the first readings of ordinances pertaining to the procedure for removing a city manager as well as that position’s powers and duties. A separate ordinance temporarily suspending the city manager’s spending authority failed to pass its first reading.
All of these measures resulted in 4-3 votes, which has been the norm in 2018 since several new council members were elected last November.
Coney’s most recent administrative job was with Macon-Bibb County. He worked there and later in Hampton while simultaneously serving as a member of the Fitzgerald City Council more than 100 miles to the south. He was listed on the Fitzgerald website as a council member as recently as November 21.
Also approved by the Hampton council at the November 13 meeting was the second reading of an ordinance updating the Future Land Use Map. The updated map will be presented with a resolution to the Atlanta Regional Commission.
The Hampton Official Zoning Map has been updated to be in alignment with the FLUM. The motion to approve was amended to mandate that all mixed-use developments require a conditional use permit. That motion passed 6-0.
Also passing unanimously was adoption of the “Imagine Henry” county and cities joint comprehensive plan 2040 update, and the appointment of the city clerk as the city’s sole open records officer.
The council approved a consultant agreement for Abacus CPA, LLC to provide budget and financial consulting services for the period beginning July 13 of this year and ending November 30.
