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GREENSBORO - The Greensboro City Council fired City Manager Mitchell Johnson on Tuesday night.

Johnson, who has worked for the city in various capacities for nearly 26 years, was removed from his duties after a closed session.

Council members voted 5-4 to dismiss him. Against the firing were Mayor Yvonne Johnson, Councilwoman T. Dianne Bellamy-Small, Councilman Robbie Perkins and Councilwoman Goldie Wells.

Mitchell Johnson will continue to work for the city until July 15, according to an agreement reached by the council. He will continue to make his salary of $179,000 a year but will be appointed to a new job by Bob Morgan, who will serve as acting city manager. Morgan had been Mitchell Johnson's deputy.

He also will receive, according to his contract, six months' benefits and severance pay after his city job ends.

Mitchell Johnson would not comment Tuesday night about the City Council's negotiations over his job. It was unclear whether council members included him in their closed-door discussions.

After his dismissal, he told reporters that he would have been glad to continue being the city manager, but that was not the council's wish.

"I have enjoyed every role I've ever been in. I'll continue to enjoy everything I do for this organization," Mitchell Johnson said. "I have always appreciated the support I had from employees."

Most council members did not offer immediate explanations of their decision Tuesday night. Mayor Johnson, Wells and Councilwoman Trudy Wade declined to comment.

Councilman Mike Barber, who voted to dismiss the city manager, said, "I've been on record for a long time: Our city needed a fresh start."

Bellamy-Small, who voted to keep Mitchell Johnson in his job, said, "We let a competent and good man go."

The dismissal comes after Mayor Pro Tem Sandra Anderson Groat - one of the council's swing voters and a key ally of the manager - said she was withdrawing her support.

The city manager is the City Council's only employee. The manager is responsible for city employees and is the chief policy adviser to the council.

Mitchell Johnson has been under continuous scrutiny.

Some residents have questioned the way he handled the issues in the police department, which boiled over shortly before he was hired as manager in October 2005.

His job performance also has been a key point of debate among council members.

On three other occasions since they came into office in December 2007, council members Wade and Mary Rakestraw have asked that he be fired or demoted. Each time, at least five council members - a majority - voted to keep him.

This week, Groat said she changed her mind and could no longer support him.

"I can't play with this anymore," Groat said. "I really feel like I have to do what is right. If it costs me the election, I will be sad. People don't realize how dysfunctional we are."

Groat said her decision came after months of consideration. It apparently tipped the balance and forced Councilman Zack Matheny to reconsider his support.

Perkins, who has been a staunch supporter of Mitchell Johnson, said Tuesday before the council meeting that it was bad timing to dismiss the city manager during budget season, particularly considering the tough economy.

But he said if a majority of council members have lost confidence in Mitchell Johnson, it is time to move on.

"I'm frustrated. I hate to see us letting a guy go with that much experience," Perkins said. "I don't think we're going to end up solving the problems."

Mitchell Johnson graduated from UNCG in 1983 and has spent his entire career with the city, starting at the Greensboro Coliseum.

He worked for the general services and information services departments before being promoted to assistant city manager in 2000. He was deputy city manager for two years before the City Council hired him as the city's top employee in 2005.

Contact Amanda Lehmert at 373-7075 or amanda.lehmert@news-record.com