89 CANDIDATES VIE FOR CITY MANAGER JOB

Cape Girardeau's council will choose a city manager from a field of at least 89 candidates.

But, more applications may be in the mail, as the application deadline passed Thursday.

Human Resources Director Dan Ward said applications postmarked Thursday will be accepted. Several applicants are from Missouri.

So far, only six candidates have filled out questionnaires. Candidates have until the end of the month to respond to the 20 questions.

"I think the council will probably want to look at all the resumes whether they have the questionnaires or not," Ward said.

Both Ward and Mayor Al Spradling III said they were pleased with the number of applicants.

Spradling said council members will individually review the applications and questionnaires and will use a uniform scoring sheet under which a maximum of 300 points can be awarded to an applicant, with 200 of those points based on the questionnaires.

Council hopes to narrow the field to five finalists shortly after mid-July, Spradling said, adding that finalists would be brought in for interviews around Aug. 1.

The mayor said he hopes a new city manager can be on board by Oct. 1.

City Manager J. Ronald Fischer will retire Aug. 1 after seven years as the city's chief administrator.

Spradling said Assistant City Manager Doug Leslie would direct city operations during the interim.