City manager search down to five in Poplar Bluff

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Poplar Bluff's Advisory Search Committee has selected five finalists for city manager, according to the Daily American Republic. "We interviewed 11 applicants before recommending five to the council," said Mayor Pro Tem Jack Rushin, who is the committee chairman. He indicated eight of the applicants were interviewed electronically and three face-to-face. The Poplar Bluff City Council was scheduled to conduct second interviews during a special closed meeting Wednesday in the Porter Building at Three Rivers College. After the second interviews are completed, council members will bring the final two or three applicants to Poplar Bluff for third interviews. "We will give them a tour of the city, the projects going on and the city departments," Rushin said. "Then the council will make its decision." City clerk Pam Kearbey said 57 applications were received for city manager. The job came open in May when Doug Bagby's contract was terminated by the council.