Anticipation Grows For Lakewood City Manager Andrew Neiditz, Two Others For Top Tacoma Position

What has this week been like for current Lakewood City Manager and potential new Tacoma manager Andrew Neiditz? It's been busy to say the least.

"The process over two and a half days included four panel interviews, a 2-hour televised forum, a public reception, nine individual councilmember interviews, a council dinner, a bus tour, and a full council interview," Neiditz told Patch in an e-mail Thursday.

"A very busy two and a half days," he added.

Neiditz and two other candidates for Tacoma's next city manager were expecting a decision on Tuesday but the Tacoma City Council tabled the decision for another week. The council is now expected to make its choice on Dec. 20 – the final regular council meeting of 2011, according to a blog post by The Tacoma News Tribune.

“Given that this is the most important decision a council can make, I really appreciate an extra week to back-check references and make a couple more phone calls,” Councilman David Boe said Tuesday in the TNT post.

Neiditz, who has family ties to Tacoma, has worked in Pierce County government, going from deputy county executive from 1985 to 1993 then as Sumner's city administrator from 1999 to March of 2005 before accepting the Lakewood position.

Patch reported that if selected, . Assistant city administrators Dave Bugher and Choi Halladay would be likely candidates Lakewood Councilmember Jason Whalen said there will be the normal lag time in getting a full leadership position with a new manager.

There are three remaining candidates for the high-profile Tacoma job. They are interim City Manager Rey Arellano, T.C. Broadnax, San Antonio Tex. assistant city manager, and of course, Neiditz.

Check back to see if Neiditz landed the position.