In a stunning move, the Senoia City Council Monday night offered a contract to Richard Ferry to serve as the city's administrator.

The move comes a little more than a month after the city had offered a $70,000 contract to Forsyth's Deron King to serve as the city's top official. King was supposed to start the job in April, but Senoia Mayor Bob Hannah said the two sides could not agree on all aspects of the contract.

"He was looking for a two-year contract for security purposes, but our charter won't allow us to do that. We can't commit a future City Council to the contract," Hannah said.

Instead, the city's new administrator will be Ferry, who is a teacher in the Coweta County School System and lives in Senoia. Ferry will be paid $55,000 a year and won't be able to start the job until June when the school year ends.

"He was always in the mix and has a degree in planning, but just doesn't have the experience that Deron does," Hannah added.

But the mayor believes Ferry's familiarity with the area will prove to be a plus to the city.

The city has been without an administrator since last summer when Murray McAfee resigned the post.