The Minot City voted Thursday to offer the job of city manager to Harold Stewart, the manager of a Missouri community who spent part of his childhood in Minot.

The council met in executive session to discuss a contract and will present a formal offer to Stewart today.

Stewart, 42, is city manager in Warrensburg, a city with a population of 20,168 residents. He has been with Warrensburg since 2015.

He was the unanimous choice of the Minot City Council following discussion at Thursday’s special meeting. The council had interviewed two other candidates, Ray Agbabiaka, director of community development in Matteson, Illinois, and Shawn Henessee, former county manager in Clark County, Washington.

Stewart previously served as city manager in Knoxville, Iowa, and Ogallala, Nebraska, and was assistant to the administrator/neighborhood services director in Yuma, Arizona, where he also had worked as interim human resources director. He has 15 years of experience in city and county government and holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Kansas, Lawrence.

He holds a master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Kansas. He and his wife, Andrea, have six children, ranging in age from 7 to 19.

Stewart lived in the area, attending South Prairie School, when his father was stationed at Minot Air Force Base. He had been a finalist for Minot city manager in 2014.

The council had narrowed its choices to the top two before selecting Stewart.

“The key thing for me will be with either of them is to work very closely with them to make sure that they have a good understanding of what the council wants, what the community needs,” council member Stephan Podrygula said.

Council member Carrie Evans noted Stewart was the top choice of 13 members of 20-member community stakeholders committee.

Council member Paul Pitner added he was influenced by talking to staff and community members toward supporting Stewart.

“I weighted that very heavily in my decision,” he said.