The Salina City Commission voted unanimously Monday to appoint Jacob Wood as the new city manager with an annual base salary of $235,000.
The decision came after multiple executive sessions during which commissioners discussed terms of potential employment for their preferred candidate. Mayor Lenkiewicz announced the appointment following a 5-0 vote authorizing him to enter into an employment agreement with Wood.
After the vote, Commissioner Hoppock addressed speculation about the hiring process, stating that the commission had conducted a national search with approximately 40 candidates applying for the position. The commission narrowed the field to three candidates, including two from outside the area and Wood.
"We debated short and long-term goals, the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate, and took a really hard look at where we were at and what we thought would lead this community in the right direction," Hoppock said.
The mayor clarified that the commission had decided on Wood as their choice immediately after the interviews, but time was needed to prepare an employment agreement, which is why no announcement was made earlier.
Wood, who previously served as an intern in city management, expressed gratitude for the commission's confidence.
"This is a position that I've wanted for a really long time," Wood said. "I saw what the city manager did and I thought this is what I want to do. Not just a city manager, but I wanted to be a city manager for the city of Salina."
Wood added that he had "very intentionally taken positions throughout my career that I thought would prepare me to take on this role" and that he looked forward to "making the city of Salina a better place."
The appointment concluded after approximately 90 minutes of executive sessions spanning the afternoon meeting.