Al Grieshaber, who will remain on the job until his contract expires Aug. 4, vowed to return to work today and "continue to work hard and give my best effort to move the city of Sanford forward."

The commission split 3-2 not to extend Grieshaber's contract for another two years. Under the terms of his employment, his contract would have automatically extended for two years unless the commission gave him formal notice before Feb. 4 -- six months before the end of the contract.

Commissioner Velma Williams said she could not accept another two years. She cited concerns about employee morale and complaints from some in the business community about Grieshaber.

"He has some excellent qualities. He's hard-working. But he's inflexible," she said.

While noting the progress the city has made recently, Mayor Brady Lessard, who is not seeking re-election to a second term, said he could not saddle a new commission with a two-year commitment.

Commissioners Kevin Hipes and Art Woodruff voted in favor of extending the contract. Hipes reminded fellow commissioners that Grieshaber was exactly what they wanted.

"We wanted a tough guy who could get things done," he said. "This is not a popularity contest."

Grieshaber's short tenure at the city has had its share of controversy and celebration. Since arriving in August 2003, Grieshaber fired 10 employees to save the city about $250,000 a year, successfully blocked an attempt to open an adult gambling arcade downtown and tried to fire his deputy city manager.

He also oversaw the opening of the city's popular RiverWalk and pushed through a controversial, million-dollar face-lift of the city's main drag downtown that is scheduled to be completed at the end of the month.

But Grieshaber's dealings with former Deputy City Manager Andrew Van Gaale are what caused the biggest controversy and cost him the most political capital and good will.

Grieshaber suspended and subsequently fired Van Gaale over an incident at the city's Independence Day celebration. Van Gaale used a city-leased golf cart to shuttle between the city event on Lake Monroe and his home about four blocks away.

The City Commission intervened on Van Gaale's behalf and directed Grieshaber to rehire him. But commissioners could do no more under the city's charter. After he was reinstated, Van Gaale was allowed to apply for a technician's position that paid less than half of his $80,000 salary as deputy city manager.

In November, the city's Civil Service Board heard more than 20 hours of testimony over three days from Grieshaber, Van Gaale and others. It concluded the discipline was inappropriate and recommended that Van Gaale not only get his job back but that personnel records referring to the incident be expunged.

But Grieshaber stuck to his initial decision on Van Gaale.