With the retirement of former Community Development Director Bob Graham in December, the city’s administration won’t be the same.

Instead of hiring a new community development director, city officials are looking to hire an assistant city manager, which is a mid-level management position.

An advertisement for the position has been posted on the city’s Web page and on the League of Minnesota Cities website. It will be posted in this newspaper Sunday.

City Manager Chad Adams said the assistant city manager will oversee the city clerk and the public information coordinator, along with information technology services for the city. The person hired will try to better engage residents in decision making and policy changes within the city, among

other responsibilities.

With the assistant city manager relieving him of some of these duties, Adams said he will pick up more of the community development responsibilities, working with the Albert Lea Port Authority. He also hopes to interact with people more in the public and strengthen relationships with area entities such as the Albert Lea Housing & Redevelopment Authority, the Port Authority, the Albert Lea Area Schools and Freeborn County.

“I think it’s going to improve both external and internal communications,” he said. The Fire and Inspections Department will continue to oversee many of the smaller zoning tasks, and a contract planning firm, WSB Inc., has been hired to help with larger projects, Adams said.

The assistant city manager will have a salary between $61,000 and $79,000, which is within the same pay scale that Graham was paid as community development director.

The advertisement asks applicants to have a bachelor’s degree in public administration, community development, business, finance or a related field, and at least four years of public sector administrative experience. Applications are being accepted through Jan. 25.

An empty accounting position also in administration will remain unfilled.