Kingfisher’s next city manager is expected to be named Monday night.

The city commission has set a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. that includes two items: Entering into executive session “to discuss the employment, hiring and/or appointment of the city manager” and then “discussion and possible action to hire and enter into contract with the new city manager” in open session.

The notice of the meeting was posted Thursday morning.

That came after commissioners met for about four-and-a-half hours in executive session on Wednesday as part of a special meeting.

Two candidates were interviewed during that executive session, which began shortly after the meeting convened at 11:30 a.m. and ended just before 4 p.m.

Commissioners are looking to hire the replacement for Dave Slezickey, who resigned his position to take on the same role at The Village in Oklahoma City.

Slezickey was hired here in May 2012.

He announced his resignation in January and his last day on the job was Feb. 14.

Town Clerk Brittney Hladik was hired to serve as acting city manager effective Feb. 15 until a full-time manager was hired.

The commission also moved in February to hire Oklahoma Municipal Management Services (OMMS) to aid in the search for the position.

The contract paid OMMS $12,000 plus expenses not to exceed $2,000.

OMMS, according to Executive Director Steve Whitlock at that Feb. 13 meeting, was to begin advertising for the position that week and set the application process to close on March 31.

The contract called for OMMS to conduct background checks once the hiring process reached the “semifinal phase.”

Wednesday’s interviews were the first by commissioners.

Present were Geoff Covalt, Kyle Mecklenburg, Dawn Taylor and Debbie Burpo. Mayor Roxie Alexander was unable to attend the meeting.

Also present in the executive session was City Attorney Jared Harrison.

Harrison will remain in that position through at least June 30, 2024, after a legal services agreement was accepted by the commission in open session at the meeting.

Harrison has been the city attorney for 11 years.

The contract calls for the city to pay him a $1,125 monthly retainer for up to five hours of legal services a month.

If the five hours are exceeded, he will be paid $225 per hour as an independent contractor.

Also approved was a worker’scompensationplan through Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group (OMAG) for $147,606.

There was an item on the agenda to approve an amended contract with MA+ Architecture of Oklahoma City, but there was no action taken on the item.

MA+ has been hired to design the new Kingfisher Fire Department, but Harrison said more details have to be finalized before that contract is approved.