I do not understand from the scenerio above... if you asked the County Administrator for a reason?

It sounds weak if a possible employer asks you why...and you are unable to demonstrate that you asked the same question of your employer and apparently have not received any answer.

If he/she is unwilling or able to provided you an answer, I would make a plea to your ex employer... that without an answer you are missing employment opportunities.

Will he/she provide and answer. Would he/she be willing to respond to potential employer that he would re-employ you under a different board?

How about a positive statement by your ex-employer that there were no "for cause" reasons! Further, a positive statement that you were an ethical, upstanding local government manager working in an "at will" employment situation.

Finally, if your past employer will not help, it is time to come up with your own answer, even if it is a guess. Provide your response by saying I was not given a reason but if I had to provide an answer it would be.....?

Saying I do not know leaves too much to the imagination.

Depending what State you are in, it could be at will employment of Termination without cause. Stating a cause can expose the city to liability it would not otherwise we have. I have had this conversation with the city attorney many times here in California where it is a liability problem. I generally feel a person has a need to know why they are terminated and what will be said when a background check occurs. Perhaps they would be willing to discuss it if you provide the city and them a full liability release for any claims of wrongful termination.
Having said that, it seems if you look inside yourself you should have seen some signals of dissatisfaction somewhere along the lines and should be able to deduce what the cause might have been at that time. It is just so unusual and difficult for a manager to hide their dissatisfaction completely.

I concur with Rod - as a fellow California City Manager (now retired). I would offer a Release of Liability in hopes that this would free the agency" of any concerns of liability issues. I would also ask the former CAO to level with you - as one professional to another -for your growth both professionally and personally. As ICMA Members, we have an obligation to support each other professionally. If the CAO was taking direction from the Board - I hope he also believed your termination was appropriate. Part of the job of a CM (not necessarilly CAO) is to evaluate and take responsibility for personnel decisions - not to allow political interference in the administrative side of the organization.. Good Luck!

I agree with the discussion above. One limiting or helping factor would be the definition of "cause" in the contract. "Reason" and "cause" represent 2 levels of feedback for the professional. Reason can be verbal but verifiable at the CAO level in some later employment vetting. The agency will never use the word CAUSE if there is a contractual "for cause" revocation of termination benefits. James and Rodrick (above) said it well. STAN