The status of Plum's manager remained in a sort of official limbo this week as officials would only say Michael Thomas was on administrative leave.

"He is on paid leave," Personnel Committee Chairman Mike Doyle said Monday. Last week officials left a meeting under an apparently mistaken impression that Mr. Thomas had resigned from his $69,000 a year job.

Now Mr. Doyle said he and other council members hope to have issues resolved soon. He said personnel confidentiality prevented him from discussing those issues any further. No one seemed to know when Mr. Thomas will return to work.

Mr. Thomas could not be reached for comment and was not at work yesterday.

Problems surfaced July 9 when, during an executive session held after a regular council meeting had been adjourned, Mr. Thomas became angry and walked out of the meeting. Council members who were at the meeting thought Mr. Thomas had resigned, but that turned out not to be the case.

Last week, Mr. Doyle said Mr. Thomas told him he had not resigned but had become angry over the discussions going on at the meeting. None of the council members present would elaborate on what those discussions were concerning.

Mr. Thomas has been manager for just a little more than two years. Earlier this year Mr. Thomas sent e-mails to various community members he knew asking if any of them had heard of job openings in the area.

One personnel issue, though, will likely be resolved after a special council meeting set for 7 p.m. Monday. Council is advertising a special session to hire a new police chief. Plum has been without a chief since Robert Payne resigned to accept a job in the private sector in October.

The search process has been a long one and included input from a police chiefs association search team, a citizens' group and council members.

First Published: July 19, 2007, 10:30 a.m.