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.

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8/26/17 - Atlanta, GA - Georgia leaders, including Gov. Nathan Deal, Sandra Deal, members of the King family, and Rep. Calvin Smyre,  were on hand for unveiling of the first statue of Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday at the statehouse grounds, more than three years after Gov. Nathan Deal first announced the project.  During the hour-long ceremony leading to the unveiling of the statue of Martin Luther King Jr. at the state Capitol on Monday, many speakers, including Gov. Nathan Deal, spoke of King's biography. The statue was unveiled on the anniversary of King's famed "I Have Dream" speech. BOB ANDRES  /BANDRES@AJC.COM

Credit: Bob Andres