MIDLAND, Texas — On Thursday, Ty Coleman was terminated from his position as the manager of Midland Animal Services.
Coleman said he was informed of the firing when he was working with his coworkers due to his team being short-staffed.
“It’s all been finishing up right now," Coleman said. "I’m still trying to digest what has happened. It was kind of a slap in the face for everything that I have done within this community.”
The city of Midland officially said that Coleman was terminated due to not passing his one-year probation period.
Coleman said that, while the notice of termination caught him off guard, he is willing to admit to any mistake that he may have made.
However, he has his own theories on why he got fired, specifically a potential dispute with Interim City Manager Morris Williams Jr.
“If I did make a mistake with the city, I am ready to own up to it," Coleman said. "I would want to apologize to all of my supporters for whatever mistake this is, but at this time, I have no idea what I’ve done to be terminated, other than maybe it’s retaliation because I didn’t support Morris Williams privately when we were in a 'safe place,' is what he calls it anytime we were in a meeting.”
Coleman still has the support of the public, many of whom have denounced the decision to part ways with Coleman. A petition has also been started to potentially bring him back to his former position.
So far, Coleman would be interested in a return, if not for his staff members, but for the Midland community.
"I would say yes in a sense because I would want to be able to help my staff and continue helping out the community," Coleman said. "There's such a need out here for more education, public education, when it comes to animal services, and I just really want to be out there to support the community."
There are still plenty of options on the table for him to consider though, as Coleman wants to take his time before making a decision on his future.
“I’m trying not to make a decision so fast," Coleman said. "I have several offers already, which I’m greatly appreciative for, but I want to make sure that I made the best decision for the right move for me.”
When NewsWest 9 reached out for a comment, the City of Midland stated that they had no comment on this matter of personnel.
To watch the full interview with Ty Coleman, you can visit NewsWest9.com or our YouTube page.