SEQUIM — About 35 people have voiced their desire to run this town, Lee Walton told the Sequim City Council this week.

Walton, the consultant hired to coordinate recruitment of a city manager for Sequim, on Monday urged the council to start narrowing the field of candidates down to about five, so the finalists can come to town for a public reception and interviews in late October.

The council opted to hold a special executive session to discuss its next steps, at noon Monday in the Transit Center, 190 W. Cedar St.

The deadline is this Friday to apply for the city manager job, which will pay $95,000 to $115,000 plus a benefits package yet to be negotiated.

The Sequim council fired former manager Bill Elliott on May 5, saying his “laissez-faire” style no longer worked for the fast-growing city.

Police Chief Robert Spinks was immediately appointed interim city manager, and in mid-May the council gave Elliott a severance package totaling $152,318.