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BEMIDJI 鈥� After several months without a city manager, the Bemidji City Council is continuing its search to fill the position.

In its latest meeting on Tuesday evening, the council received an update from consulting firm Baker Tilly along with a list of potential candidates for its review.

While the information provided to the council is currently confidential, councilors have been tasked with reviewing the candidates鈥� information and selecting their individual preferences by Sept. 15.

鈥淭his isn鈥檛 our search, this is your search,鈥� shared Patricia Heminover, a director with Baker Tilly. 鈥淲e want to make sure we get the information upfront on what you鈥檙e looking for in your next city manager.鈥�

Bemidji鈥檚 search for a new city manager began following the resignation of Nate Mathews in April. As the council began the search process, it hired Baker Tilly to consult and assist with finding qualified candidates for the role.

Since then, Baker Tilly has advertised the position and met with councilors and city staff to hear input on what characteristics would be beneficial for a new city manager.

鈥�(City staff) are with this person a lot, so there needs to be a balance between what (the council) is looking for and what staff is looking for,鈥� Heminover said.

The search has been national, with direct mailings alone to qualified candidates exceeding 20,000. Of those who have responded, Baker Tilly brought together a list for the council to consider, including written materials from the applicants and video interviews.

It will now be up to the council members to narrow down this list to their individually preferred finalists, which they will share with Baker Tilly during a special meeting on Sept. 15. Once the finalists are selected, an initial round of interviews is expected the week of Sept. 18.

鈥淲e want to try and get this going as quickly as possible, but without jeopardizing the quality of the search,鈥� Heminover said.

The first round of interviews would likely be conducted virtually, with a second round that could be completed in person in Bemidji.

If the search proceeds with the expected timeline, the city council could select a top candidate by the end of September and extend an employment offer soon after.

鈥淵ou鈥檝e got some really good candidates you鈥檙e going to be interviewing,鈥� Heminover shared. 鈥淚鈥檓 very, very happy with the applicants we鈥檙e starting to receive.鈥�

Alongside the update provided by Baker Tilly on the search for a new city manager, the city council also completed other business during its meeting on Tuesday.

One of these items included the final reading and passage of an ordinance continuing Bemidji鈥檚 3% lodging tax. The ordinance passed 6-0, with Ward 2 Councilor Josh Peterson abstaining due to a conflict of interest as the executive director of Visit Bemidji.

The council also awarded a bid for a project along Lake Shore Drive to Bowman and Sons in the amount of $14,400. The project will install a sidewalk along the road near Boardwalk Mini Golf and the Sanford Center鈥檚 parking lot.