DEFUNIAK SPRINGS, Fla. (WMBB) — Defuniak Springs City Manager Robert Thompson’s 18-month contract expires on December first. The City Council and Thompson could not come to an agreement at a meeting on Monday night.

A special meeting was held Tuesday night to discuss a possible six-month contract.

“We offered to do a six-month and they were willing to talk about that so that’s what we came to do tonight,” Mayor Bob Campbell said. “To do a six month and it’s really more of another probation, so to speak. And we could not get our language together. What he had asked for in the contract, particularly the severance pay and that type of thing was over and above what the council was comfortable with.”

Several council members voiced concerns about parts of the contract. Thompson was given the chance to negotiate after they voiced their concerns but decided that Wednesday will be his final day as city manager.

“I came here in good faith and I’m not going to be long with it, I have no ill will towards anyone but tomorrow will be my last day,” City Manager Thompson said.

Several citizens said they were concerned with Thompson’s performance as city manager.

“Most everybody you saw in this room tonight, the visitors were with us last night and they all got to speak their peace,” Campbell said.

One major issue was an unpopular road mural in downtown Defuniak.

“One thing he got blamed for that was not his doing, he had to carry out the duties of, you know, if you’re in a plane and we flew over the city, if you react to downtown, the old downtown, you’ll see right down on Board Avenue, a great big sign that says ‘Defuniak Springs’ painted bright yellow on that street and that created a heck of a wake,” Campbell said.

Defuniak Springs will now be hiring its 14th city manager in the last 12 years. Seven of the previous 13 were interim city managers.

“It’s a problem and you know, in this day and time it’s hard to get good help,” Campbell said. “And so we don’t want to have the reputation of we’re going to run off anybody that comes so well I’ll tell you that’s not the way it’s going to be and it’s a beautiful place to be. It’s a really good group to work for and we’re going through a lot of transitions.”

The city council will have another special meeting Thursday evening to find a temporary fix for the vacant position.