MURFREESBORO — Just a few short months after his hiring, Lee Capps has been removed from his position as town administrator.

At a special called meeting on Thursday, the Murfreesboro Town Council unanimously voted to dismiss Capps.

According to the minutes that have yet to be approved by the board, on a motion made by Councilwoman Sarah Wallace and a second by Councilman Bill Theodorakis it was agreed to dismiss Capps based on “failure to perform administrative duties in a timely and efficient manner and failure to inform Council of projects being worked on.”

According to the minutes, the termination was effective immediately and Capps was to remove all of his personal belongings from the Town Hall by 5 p.m. September 10 (Friday). He was also asked to return all keys, two Blackberry Phones and Town credit card to the town clerk.

Before the motion was made, council members met in a closed session under North Carolina General Statute 143-318.11(a)(6) Personnel. The meeting began at 3 p.m. and was adjourned at 4:40 p.m.

The council is scheduled to meet at 1 p.m. on Tuesday for a regular meeting and several citizens have told the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald they plan to attend and voice their opinions to the board concerning the dismissal.

Laurie Brook, a neighbor of Capps, said she plans to be there. Brook attended the special meeting in which Capps was fired.

“It was very calculated and planned,” she said about the council’s decision. “This is a personal vendetta.”

Brook  said the town, now in the early states of the Department of Commerce’s Small Town Main Street program, needs Capps.

“There is a ton of support for him,” she said. “We hope to have a very good citizen turnout (at Tuesday’s meeting.)”

Capps was hired in June by the council. He was previously employed as the town manager in Mount Gilead.