(MINERAL WELLS, TX) – After 25 years on the job, Mineral Wells City Manager Lance Howerton announced earlier this month that he would be retiring at the end of this year.

Now the search is officially on for the person to replace him.  The Mineral Wells Index reports the city recently finalized its agreement with Strategic Government Resources Inc. to conduct the search for the city’s next administrative leader. The contract between the city and SGR lines out specifics on how the firm will recruit candidates for the Mineral Wells position.

The company says they will sift through the qualified applicants to find 12 semi-finalists to be named by the city and then those will be narrowed down to six finalists.