Hampton's former city manager Charles Coney, who was ousted from the post two weeks ago, will soon get a chance to challenge his termination.

A special-called meeting set for Dec. 11 includes an appeal by Coney for the city manager position, which he lost Nov. 13 in a 4-3 vote by the Hampton City Council. Mayor Steve Hutchison cast the deciding vote to terminate after the six- member council deadlocked on what to do.

Coney said he was let go because of issues surrounding the Henry County community's 2019 budget. Hampton operates on a fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. But because it was unable to agree on an annual budget this fall, the city, which had a budget last year of $9.1 million, is now running on a month-to-month schedule.

Coney has hired Albany attorney Maurice Luther King

to represent him in a breach of contract lawsuit he is considering filing against the city of 7,800.

About the Author

Keep Reading

John Love — a member of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, AFL-CIO union — holds a sign with other PASS members at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport's domestic terminal on  Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025. PASS members at the Federal Aviation Administration working without pay or furloughed share pamphlets to call public attention to the impact of the government shutdown on aviation safety and the personal toll it is taking on their families. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Featured

MARTA's Kensington Station in DeKalb County, seen last month, was the site of a bus collision Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, a MARTA spokesperson said. (Abbey Cutrer/AJC)

Credit: abbey.cutrer@ajc.com