Members of the Ellsworth City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to “terminate the employment, effective immediately” of city administrator Scott Moore.

The motion by council member Mary Soukup came following two, 30-minute executive sessions with city attorney Patrick Hoffman for “consultation with the city attorney regarding matters protected by attorney-client privilege.”

About three dozen citizens attended the special meeting at the golf course. Most were there to support Moore, who ran afoul of the council about a week ago after he approved the installation of colored lights on the town’s east water tower without council approval and no guarantee of a way to pay for the project.

Moore is authorized to spend up to $10,000 without council action; the lights cost about $21,000.

Between executive sessions, Ellsworth resident Ben Renfro attempted to speak; however, he was stopped by city clerk Patti Booher and council member Steve Magette, who said a public forum was not included on the agenda.

They encouraged him to attend the regular council meeting at 5:30 p.m. Monday to share his thoughts.

“I’m here because I love that man over there,” Renfro said, looking toward Moore, who sat at the end of the council table and was not included in the executive sessions.

Following the council’s termination vote, several members of the audience offered Moore their condolences.

This past week, Moore interviewed as one of three finalists for a city manager’s job in Port Arthur, Texas. The job eventually went to the town’s current interim city manager.

Moore was in Ellsworth the first time from June 1997 to August 2005. He returned in 2015 following the resignation of former city administrator Tim Vandall, who accepted a job at Leavenworth.