One of the six Albert Lea city manager finalists withdrew from the search Saturday morning.

David Minke, the former deputy county administrator in Anoka County, was coming in for his interview with the City Council. Before they started, he told them he and his wife had stayed up late talking about the opportunity and decided the timing wasn’t right for their family.

Minke said it was a hard decision for him to make because he wanted to work with the council.

“My wife said she’s never met council members so genuinely interested in serving the public,” he said.

Minke was the third in line for the interviews Saturday.