Elmhurst's five-member search committee for the city's next permanent city manager convened for a second straight day on Wednesday, July 29, just days before Jim Grabowski's retirement took effect and Acting City Manager Kent Johnson stepped into the role.

The back-to-back sessions signal the pace of a search that Mayor Scott Levin has said he hopes will produce a job offer by the end of August.

The committee met Tuesday, July 28, for a nearly 4.5-hour closed-door session to review candidates, then reconvened Wednesday, according to the city's BoardDocs agenda. No minutes or outcome from the July 29 meeting have been posted.

Grabowski's last day was Sunday, Aug. 2, ending more than 15 years as city manager, according to the city's official announcement. Johnson formally assumed the acting role Monday, Aug. 3, as Shaw Local reported July 24.

How the search works

The committee is made up of Levin and the council's four committee chairs: Aldermen Chris Jensen, Noel Talluto, Emily Bastedo, and Mike Brennan. The City Council approved that structure 11-2 on July 20, with Aldermen Michael Bram and Rex Irby dissenting, Patch reported.

The city's recruiting firm, MGT, attracted roughly 80 applicants and narrowed the field to about 20. The committee's job is to cut that list to eight candidates for closed-session interviews. The other 10 aldermen are invited to attend those interviews. From there, the committee will select four finalists for the full council to interview before a final hiring decision.

Bram, one of the two dissenters, argued at the July 20 council meeting that all aldermen deserved earlier involvement. "We should have more input and decision-making power early on," he said at the time.

Levin defended the smaller panel, saying it protects candidates whose current employers may not know they are job-hunting. Illinois law allows city manager candidate names to remain confidential during the search.

What's next

Johnson, the former assistant city manager, will run day-to-day operations while the search continues. In a city news release on July 24, he said he looks forward to working with staff, the mayor, and the council to ensure a seamless transition.

The city has not announced a date for finalist interviews or a council vote. Levin's stated goal remains an offer by the end of August.