Questions surround the employment status of Hoover City Administrator Allan Rice.

Rice was hired as administrator in 2016, the second-highest ranking city official behind Mayor Frank Brocato.

On Friday, Birmingham area media began receiving tips that Rice was no longer in that position.

A photo was also distributed to media showing Rice leaving City Hall with a box of his belongings.

Asked about Rice’s employment status, the city responded to AL.com with this: “He has not been terminated. The city does not discuss personnel matters.”

Asked if he had been fired or placed on administrative leave, Rice said, “I can’t say anything more than I have not been terminated and I have not resigned.”

On Thursday night, Rice shared a television news story about a Calera Police Department recruiting video with this caption: “Calera has an excellent police chief who possesses superior character. I only wish that my city’s police department was led by someone like David Hyche.”

The post was deleted a short time later and replaced with a more generic version.

Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis said he had no response to Rice’s post.

Prior to becoming Hoover’s city administrator, Rice worked for the Hoover Fire Department from 1992 until 2007, and served as executive director of the Alabama Fire College and Personnel Standards Commission.