EOC members did not object to giving former chairman Michael Wong the authority to handle Patrick Yu's contract, a summary of talks at a September meeting show.
But there was no consensus on whether Mr Yu should be terminated. Several members had reservations about firing him before he began work as director of operations. Others were concerned about a power struggle and suggested the matter be left to Mr Wong.
The summary of the minutes, submitted to the Legislative Council by the EOC yesterday, showed there were extensive discussions about Mr Yu's contract.
Mr Wong told members he was concerned about an interview with Mr Yu in the South China Morning Post in which he vowed to uphold the integrity of the EOC. Mr Wong said he had already discussed the matter with one member, who agreed, and asked for authorisation to terminate Mr Yu's contract.
Several members said Mr Yu should be given a chance to begin his duties before deciding how to move forward, but others said the contract could be legally terminated because the new chairman had new objectives.