But Mayor Randy Ross is not worried about what state the city’s next top administrator comes from. He just wants to make sure the council picks the right person for the job.

“I want to make sure they understand that we are a customer-service business for our residents and ensure everything is done right,” Ross said of the city’s incoming city manager.

Larry Shelton, who is currently serving as Choctaw’s interim manager, said three out of the four finalists being considered for the position are from out-of-state.

Shelton is currently receiving $50 an hour while he helps the city fill the post, which is a service he has provided to many Oklahoma municipalities through the consulting form he created after retiring from a 20-plus year career in Chickasha.

Overall, the city of Choctaw received 58 applicants, representing 26 states, for the position. Sixteen of the applicants, Shelton said, are from Oklahoma.

Several applicants currently work as city managers, while others did recently, Shelton said. In the case of the latter, he explained that in the city management profession, failure to renew a manager’s contract is not always considered to be a “black eye.”

In some cases, he said, it’s an indicator it’s “time for a change.”

Choctaw’s city council fired longtime city manager Robert Floyd this spring. Floyd had been Choctaw’s city manager for 25 years. Last week, Floyd filed a breach of contract lawsuit in Oklahoma County District Court against the city, Choctaw Town Square, LLC, and its three developers Josh Kyles, Eldon Blackaby and Kurt Blackaby. The developers were hired in 2010 to help the city attract retail outlets. In December, the developers announced Walmart had signed an agreement to build a Supercenter in Choctaw.

Closer to decision

Choctaw councilmembers inched closer to that change on May 31 when they met in a special meeting to dwindle down the 58 candidates to four finalists. They have slated Wednesday, June 20 to begin interviewing the finalists, Ross said.

In selecting the four finalists, the mayor said the council looked for candidates with experience and ones they thought would be a good fit with Choctaw.

“There were a number of factors we asked ourselves,” he said.

The mayor said he was very pleased to see such a huge interest in the city’s job opening.

“It shows that Choctaw is a great place, that a lot of people want to come and indicates that people know we are a growing community with a lot of potential,” he said.

Ross hopes to find Choctaw’s next city manager out of the four finalists, but said if not, there are 54 other people the council could look at.

He said he does not expect the post to be filled before the new fiscal year starts July 1.

Ross commended the work that has already been done by Shelton and said there are sure to be more visible changes to the community once a new manager is hired.