Norwich — Mayor Deberey Hinchey will hold a press conference at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in Council Chambers to announce the hiring of a new city manager.

The City Council is scheduled to vote on a resolution to appoint an as yet unnamed city manager during its regular meeting that begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

The resolution on the agenda leaves blank the person’s name and projected start date and also does not list a salary.

The council advertised a salary of up to $150,000, well above the previous salary of $127,500.

The resolution would approve an employment contract and authorize Hinchey to sign the agreement.

Hinchey on Wednesday declined to comment on the person to be appointed, the salary or schedule.

The appointment would come nearly a year after former City Manager Alan Bergren resigned under pressure from the previous council on Feb. 2. Norwich Public Utilities General Manager John Bilda has been serving as acting city manager since Feb. 3, with his salary paid by NPU.

Because the hire will be just 10 weeks from when the city manager is required to present a new budget to the City Council — April 4 —  Hinchey said it’s likely that Bilda will work with the new city manager to finalize the budget presentation.

With a promise to cut spending and local property taxes, Republicans in November swept majorities on the City Council and Board of Education and also took the city treasurer seat.

Republicans are looking for department consolidations and other spending cuts in the coming year.

The council interviewed two city manager finalist candidates on Dec. 19 and came out of the meeting with a selection in mind. But the appointment was not made on the original appointment date of Jan. 4, when Hinchey said it was “not ready yet.”

The council hired the Florida based consulting firm Colin Baenziger & Associates for up to $30,000 to advertise and screen initial applicants.

The six-page city manager application was posted on the firm’s website, said the city has a non-education department staff of 430 full-time equivalent employees, with only 11 management employees not represented by unions.

“The city is emphasizing becoming a city of economic growth,” the application stated. “Among its goals are increasing education funding, providing tax relief, department collaboration and infrastructure maintenance.”

The application also stated that the city is transitioning from its past prominence as a manufacturing hub to a service-sector economy with lower-wage jobs and a recent influx of immigrants from a diverse ethnic background.

The city is now ready to move forward, the application stated.

“The stage is set and the next city manager can provide leadership toward that goal,” the application stated. “A strong leader — someone who is willing to invest his/herself in the long term development of the city — will find the opportunity to make an impact exhilarating. The community leadership is committed to support such a person.”

c.bessette@theday.com

Twitter: @Bessettetheday