COEUR d'ALENE - Phil Morgan's contract as executive director of Kootenai Humane Society was terminated on Thursday, according to the KHS board of directors.

"It was a mutual solution of some contract issues, and it was amicably resolved," said board President Andy Smith.

Board policy prohibits discussing personnel issues, he added.

Morgan's replacement will be decided on shortly, Smith said.

"We're just looking forward to the future," he said. "Mr. Morgan's knowledge has had a dramatic effect on our community and at KHS, and we'll continue to expand on the base that he's helped create."

Two other board members who were contacted said they preferred the president to speak on behalf of the board.

Morgan said he hadn't been aware of any contract issues.

"It was unexpected," he said on Thursday afternoon.

Still, Morgan, who has been KHS executive director for four years, was understanding.

"While this is an unfortunate situation, I was glad to have been able to help the citizens and pets in our community and be able to help an organization move up to the next level," he said. "I wish them (the board) well, and I hope that everything will go good for them."

Morgan said his biggest accomplishment as director was helping steer the nonprofit onto a more business-oriented path.

Because of decisions like opening the shelter seven days a week, opening a second thrift store and providing a customer service counter up front, the organization was able to net substantially more income, he said.

The extra revenue allowed the nonprofit to provide health benefits for staff, he said, which they didn't have before.

"We put more of a retail mentality into it," he said.

The new direction also saw animals adopted out much faster, he said.

"It allowed us to not have as much overcrowding as we're able to move more animals through," he said.

Morgan declined to reveal how much his KHS salary was. He also declined to discuss if the board had offered him a severance package.

He hopes to continue as executive director for Panhandle Animal Shelter, he added, a position he was tapped for last December.

He also hopes his absence won't affect how KHS runs, he added.

"I think what I've brought them and the team that's there, I feel very confident things will continue very strongly and not have any issues," he said.