GULF SHORES, Ala. — Gulf Shores City Council’s committee of the whole agenda meeting on Monday included plenty of discussion surrounding City Administrator Ernie Smith’s Oct. 6 decision to return to his previous job as the city’s economic development coordinator.

Mayor Billy Duke said he believes Smith might have been the best administor the city has ever had and because of the stress the position carries he stood by his decision to step down.

The vacancy now forces the council to decide how the void will be filled. Duke said he favors changing the mayor’s position from part-time to full-time, and replacing the current city administrator spot with an administrative assistant to the mayor.

“The job of mayor is full-time, whether it’s listed that way or not,” Duke said. “If [the council] decides to make the mayor’s position a full-time job, I would not be in favor of having a full-time city administrator.

“It would be extremely difficult for the city to bring in a new city administrator without a multiple-year contract, unless that person is without job security where he or she is at.”

Several members of council said they would want to review the job description of the city administrator position.

“There isn’t a job description for city administrator in our city,” City Attorney David Whetstone said.

Councilman Robert Craft said his biggest concern with disolving the position of city administrator is that someone elected mayor might not have the necessary resort experience as a qualified city administrator, and would not have the benefit of that support.

However, Duke said he feels there are plenty of people on the city’s staff that could provide support to the mayor in such areas. He added that under most circumstances it’s easier to oust a mayor than a city administrator because normally the only person who can remove a city administrator is the mayor.

“I just have to believe the people in this community have the insight, commitment, and care to vote for the right person they feel can do the job as mayor. If it doesn’t work out then they can vote that person out in four years,” Duke said.

The issue could take several months to resolve and Duke said the council will have to decide on the mayor position by Feb. 15 if a subsequent change is to take effect in 2008 when his current term ends.

“Once the personnel division has a chance to present information on the city administrator position, the council will review all of this further,” he said.