MEIGS — Mayor Cheryl Walters broke a 3-3 tie Monday evening in favor of terminating police chief Darrell Laster following a 45-minute-long executive session.

The executive session and the vote to terminate Laster came at the conclusion of the Meigs City Council meeting Feb. 18.

The ousted police chief later thanked Walters for her vote.

“God bless America,” Laster said after the meeting. “I don’t want to bring any more discord to this city. My season here is done and I’m gone.”

The outcome leaves the city with only one part-time police officer, Antonio Mango.

Walters said she was unsure who would take over as police chief in Laster’s absence.

“I can’t discuss that right now, but we have only one officer left,” Walters said. “We’ll make plans from there.”

The topic of Laster’s termination was listed on the city council’s agenda and more than 40 residents attended the meeting to view the outcome.

The crowd was ushered outside the building at 7:15 p.m. when the council went into executive session to discuss terminating Laster.

City attorney Thomas Lehman emerged from the building at 7:43 p.m. and briefly spoke with Laster, who by that point was seated on a park bench across the street as he awaited the outcome.

Lehman then returned inside the building and the session continued.

The crowd was asked to return inside the building at 7:50 p.m. where Council member Edward Eason motioned to terminate Laster. He was joined by Council members Cynthia Anderson and Jimmy Layton.

Council members Dorothy Wimes, Lizzie Battle and Tommy White opposed the motion.

Facing a tie-breaking vote, Walters then told the audience she would base her judgment purely on the wish of the residents.

Walters then asked for comment from the Citizens’ Platform and one member of the audience said the chief should be terminated.

The mayor then voted to terminate Laster and adjourned the meeting.

“The city council are public servants. We serve the public,” Walters said after the vote. “With a petition and other requests, I felt the citizens were not happy with the police chief.”

Walters said she also based her vote on confidential information regarding personnel.

Laster released details earlier Monday from an investigation he conducted into Capt. Donald McNeil, who submitted his resignation Feb. 11.

Unlike the other officers in the police department, McNeil is a Meigs resident.

Laster’s investigation concluded McNeil was appropriating time without working by clocking in and not informing dispatch he was on duty, mostly on weekends.

The police chief originally asked for McNeil to submit his resignation in August 2018, but then had second thoughts when he received criticism from the council.

Five months later, Laster decided to proceed with terminating McNeil after receiving multiple phone calls from concerned citizens and informed Walters of his decision Feb. 7.

McNeil was placed on administrative leave, which led to a small gathering of citizens the following afternoon concerned over the lack of police coverage.

Laster said Eason informed him in a recorded phone call Aug. 13 that the council believed someone under his command was accumulating unworked time, which began the investigation.