A new city manager will take the helm of the Lilac City starting in early June. Rochester has entered into an employment agreement with New Jersey resident Daniel Fitzpatrick, currently the city manager of Englewood, N.J.

The Rochester City Council unanimously agreed to let Mayor T.J. Jean enter into an agreement with Fitzpatrick during a meeting on April 19. He will replace current city manager Bob Steele, who took over the position on an interim basis after former manager John Scruton resigned in January.

Fitzpatrick has 30 years of experience as a city manager. Prior to Englewood, he served as manager of Peekskill, Ogdensburg and Poughkeepsie, N. Y.; Ocean Park, Mich.; and Augusta, Maine. Jean said Fitzpatrick’s work in cities of a similar size to Rochester—around 30,000 residents—made him an appealing choice.

“I think that experience will serve him well with the city of Rochester,” Jean said.

More than 40 candidates applied for the position, according to Jean. The city formed a City Manager Search Committee consisting of four councilors and three members of the public. They narrowed the list of applicants down to six finalists and interviewed each of them by phone. Four finalists visited Rochester for face-to-face interviews with the committee, and three of them went on to interview before the full City Council.

Jean declined to share details of Fitzpatrick’s contract, such as his salary, saying such details will be revealed when he takes office in June.