Elmhurst will have a new city manager by the end of November after the City Council selected Christina Burns, the current Kendall County administrator, to lead the city.

Burns, who will earn $250,000 in the role, is set to start Nov. 30. She succeeds James Grabowski, who retired Aug. 2 after 15 years running Elmhurst's day-to-day operations.

The council chose Burns from a pool of more than 90 applicants, according to the Elmhurst Independent. Aldermen interviewed the top eight candidates before making their pick after a series of closed meetings, Patch reported.

"After interviewing the top eight candidates, the Council selected Christina Burns," Mayor Scott Levin said. "She brings a strong combination of municipal and county executive experience, collaborative leadership and regional perspective."

Burns has served as Kendall County administrator since 2023, overseeing a county of roughly 145,000 residents about 40 miles southwest of Chicago. Her work there included securing a $15 million Illinois Office of Broadband grant to expand high-speed internet and leading more than $50 million in capital planning.

Before Kendall County, she spent 10 years with the Village of Oswego. She served as deputy village administrator from 2021 to 2023 and helped advance projects including a $30 million police station and a Lake Michigan water connection. Earlier stops included the Village of Clarendon Hills and the Village of Glen Ellyn.

Burns holds a Master of Public Administration from Northern Illinois University and a bachelor's degree from Truman State University.

The pay is a 35% increase over the $185,000 Burns earns in Kendall County. A separate vote on her employment agreement is scheduled for the Oct. 19 City Council meeting.

Acting City Manager Kent Johnson, who stepped into the role Aug. 3 after Grabowski's retirement, will return to his position as assistant city manager once Burns arrives. Johnson will help with her onboarding and transition.

Grabowski's departure ended a long stretch of stability in Elmhurst's top administrative post. He started in July 2011, succeeding Thomas Borchert, who served 27 years. The city's average city manager tenure is 24 years, compared to a national average of about seven, according to Grabowski's retirement letter.

The city said additional information about the leadership transition will be posted at Elmhurst.org in the weeks before Burns' Nov. 30 start.