Brant Sikes resigned last night as Robbins town manager during a called emergency Town Board meeting.

He handed a copy of his resignation letter to each commissioner. His last day will be Jan. 23. He is taking a job as waste water supervisor for Moore County on Jan. 26.

"It was the hardest decision I have ever had to make," he said. "It was not easy."

Sikes, the town's former public works director, accepted the town manager's job in January 2007. He was the first town manager in Robbins' history.

"He's done a tremendous job here in Robbins," said Mayor Theron Bell. "No one on the board has anything but high praise for him."

Robbins amended its charter in the summer of 2006 to move from a mayor/council form of government to the manager/council form. The Robbins Town Board has five commissioners, including Bell.

The town manager's authority is set in statutes by the General Assembly. Managers run towns like bosses run companies: do all the hiring and firing, basically take care of business and report once a month or so to the board.