I really don't get removing a companion without having another to take his place. Unless Vivian is supposed to be his replacement even though she has very little content.
I think just letting him stay a companion even without having a new writer would have been better especially since there are companions with active writers who haven't really been updated anyway. But I guess someone would need to add 2 levels worth of skills but couldn't anyone do that?
Strictly speaking, why would you need to replace them? None of the companions have any story importance. There's no real reason to replace a companion if you get rid of one.
Anyway Berry didn't have any dialogue in the story plot beating updated combat sets etc.
At bare minimum hed need to combat update, dialgue for story beats a writer for big group scenes (Savin is wroting another big scene at the end of KM like the Winter Ball and I think he said theres going to be one more), an ending, etc.
And, as much as it irks us to wait there's a big difference between a companion not being updated and never going to be updated. Atugia got a quest eventually, and will get another one. Even Agni has a quest in the works. Berry had nothing and noone wanted to take him.
Imo it was the right decision (outside of reconciling with Hugs). It's not like he actually lost much - there were like two scenes I can recall he had outside of the tavern.