Live Oak Police Chief Mark Jackley has been placed on administrative leave with pay pending investigation into what City Manager Matt Smith calls “a certain circumstance.”

Meanwhile, two other Live Oak administrators who were fired Oct. 1 have requested formal grievance hearings to address what they call “wrongful termination” from their positions.

Jackley, Live Oak’s police chief for more than two decades before he stepped in as Live Oak’s interim city manager in January 2006, served as such until City Council hired Smith as its permanent city leader in January 2007.

Smith declined to elaborate on the reasons behind Jackley’s leave status. “I can’t be more specific at this time … I can’t comment any further,” he said, although he did state that there is no time period attached to the leave status, which went into effect Oct. 10.

Deputy chief Dan Pue is assuming all of the chief’s duties while the administrative leave is in effect.

In letters to Mayor Henry Edwards and City Council, former Economic Development Corp. Director Robert Tobias and former finance officer Larry Homan both filed formal written grievances, requesting hearings to dispute the reasons for their dismissals.

In 6- and 12-page appeals, the men state their objections to Smith’s Oct. 1 termination of their employment. Both men claim Smith used their joint creation of an entity titled “Develop America CDC” and their request to attend a conference in Austin as reasoning to let the men go.

The letters are dated Oct. 8 from Homan and Oct. 9 from Tobias.