Elmhurst's City Council has selected Christina Burns, the current Kendall County administrator, to serve as the city's next city manager beginning Nov. 30, pending formal council approval.

Burns was chosen from more than 90 applicants for the job, according to the city. The council interviewed eight finalists before settling on Burns, who has spent nearly two decades in Illinois local government.

The appointment still needs a formal council vote. That vote is scheduled for the council's Monday, Oct. 5 meeting. A separate vote on Burns' employment agreement is set for Monday, Oct. 19.

Burns is set to earn $250,000 in Elmhurst, up from $185,000 at Kendall County, 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 led Kendall County, a community of about 145,000 people roughly 40 miles southwest of Chicago, since 2023. There she secured a $15 million state broadband grant and oversaw more than $50 million in capital planning.

Before Kendall County, Burns spent 10 years with the Village of Oswego. She served as deputy village administrator from 2021 to 2023 and as assistant village administrator and human resources director from 2013 to 2021. At Oswego, she helped plan and build a $30 million police station and worked on the village's Lake Michigan water connection.

Earlier in her career, Burns held roles with the villages of Clarendon Hills and Glen Ellyn. She holds a master's degree in public administration from Northern Illinois University.

Burns succeeds James Grabowski, who retired Aug. 2 after more than 15 years as Elmhurst's city manager. Grabowski was only the third person to hold the job since 1953. In his June 2 retirement letter, Grabowski noted that Elmhurst city managers have averaged 24-year tenures, compared with a national average of about seven years, according to the Elmhurst Independent.

Assistant City Manager Kent Johnson has been serving as acting city manager since Aug. 3. Johnson will return to his assistant role when Burns starts and will help with her transition.

The Oct. 5 vote is next. If confirmed, Burns becomes Elmhurst's fourth city manager in more than 70 years.