Norwich — The search for a new city manager remains on target, with seven finalists being reviewed by the search consultant hired by the City Council and at least three finalists scheduled to be interviewed in a daylong, closed-door session on Nov. 21, Mayor Deberey Hinchey told the Board of Public Utilities Commissioners on Tuesday.

Hinchey said the City Council hopes to vote to hire a city manager at a special meeting Nov. 25 in what would be the final meeting of the current City Council before newly elected aldermen take office Dec. 1.

The city received 48 applications, and search firm Colin Baenziger & Associates has screened applicants to recommend seven candidates. Baenziger said Monday “about a third” are from Connecticut.

Hinchey told the utilities board Tuesday that she was disappointed that no women applied for the position, but said some candidates were minorities.

Hinchey said the City Council met behind closed doors as the search committee, and some aldermen wanted to interview all seven candidates, while others wanted a reduced number of finalists.

Hinchey said the council really wants a candidate with experience as a chief municipal executive officer.

The council set the salary at “up to $150,000” in the application, a nearly $23,000 increase over the amount in this year's budget.

The Baenziger firm is conducting the background checks, including media coverage of the applicants' past and current positions.

“Right now, I do not know much about the applicants,” Hinchey said, “and that's by design.”

According to the schedule Hinchey presented to the commission, the so-called vetting process will run through Nov. 9, and the Norwich City Council will receive the finalist recommendations on Nov. 10.

The city's initial staff review will be done Nov. 11 to 13, and the council will meet in secret as the search committee Nov. 14 to prepare its questions and topics for the interview sessions.

Hinchey said aldermen want to be sure to discuss some of the unique features of Norwich — including the municipally owned utility and the city's mix of paid and volunteer fire departments.

Council interviews will take place throughout the day on Saturday, Nov. 21, perhaps including opportunities for the candidates to “see the city.”

The council hopes to make a decision that day, and negotiate a contract Nov. 22 to 24, making a final decision at a special meeting at 2 p.m. on Nov. 25 — the day before Thanksgiving.

“If by chance none of these seven are what we want,” Hinchey told the utilities commission, “then we will withhold.”

She said if that happens, she would return to the commission to discuss “what we want to do.”

NPU General Manager John Bilda has been serving as acting city manager since Feb. 3, after former City Manager Alan Bergren resigned under council pressure on Feb. 2.

NPU has been paying him his normal salary, currently $188,801.

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