Rod Hutto, who had been the Kountze city administrator for about the last 26 years, was terminated immediately by the Kountze City Council in a special meeting Monday afternoon.

The council met briefly in open session, then went into executive session for about an hour. During the executive session, they called Hutto in during an evaluation and shortly after returned to open session.

Councilman Jim Shirey made the motion to terminate Hutto immediately, saying his motion came as a result of findings in an investigation which had been taking place.

Councilwoman Barbara Greer seconded the motion. Councilman Jack Darden also voted in favor of the motion, making it a majority. Mayor Pro Tem Glenn Mathews and Councilwoman Andrea Cutwright both abstained. Mayor Fred Williams only votes in case of a tie.

Neither Mathews nor Cutwright commented about their decision to abstain.

After the meeting, Shirey said Hutto will be paid through Monday, the day he was terminated.

The investigation of Hutto began following a grievance filed in June by then City Secretary Sonya Arline, who was terminated by the council in July.

Arline is also the subject of an investigation being conducted by the Texas Rangers.

Hutto had been on paid administrative leave since Arline had filed the grievance.

At an Aug. 10 meeting, following an executive session, Kountze City Attorney Kate Leverett read a proposed reprimand of Hutto and a recommendation that he be kept on paid administrative leave. The council approved the proposal and the recommendation.

Tim Drake, who had been assistant city administrator, was appointed as interim city administrator after Hutto was placed on paid administrative leave and continues to serve in that position.

Kim McDaniel Haynes, a former Kountze city secretary, is currently working as a consultant at city hall until a new city secretary is hired.

Both Shirey and Greer were elected to the Kountze City Council last May. Shirey defeated Mary Adams and Greer had ran unopposed, filling a vacancy.