Fort Oglethorpe is closer to having its eighth — or seventh — city manager since 2000 after council members worked in executive session Tuesday to select three finalists for city manager.

“The goal in tonight’s executive session is to reduce the six remaining applicants to a final three list,” Mayor Ronnie Cobb said.

But he said council members would not identify finalists until they had been contacted and approved the public release of their names.

Interim City Manager Ron Goulart, who is also city attorney, applied for the position permanently and is believed to be among those on the final six cut.

Selection of an applicant other than Mr. Goulart would give the city its eighth city manager in eight years.

Those who have held the post or served interim stints since 2000 include Virginia Smith, Paul Page, David Aldrich, James Dinley, and acting or interim appointees Carol Murray, Doug Howell and Mr. Goulart.

Mr. Goulart has served 16 months as the interim city manager. He has been city attorney more than six years.

Council members have met several times to reduce the initial list of 18 applicants for the job, a much smaller pool than the 48 applicants who sought the job during a 2004 search.

Council members met during at least two weekends in May to interview applicants.

By Georgia law, the city must reduce a list of candidates to three, ask and receive permission to publicly publish their names and finally announce the selected applicant.

It the first choice candidate and the city are unable to agree on a salary and benefits package, the council seeks to reach an agreement with the second or third finalist.

Mr. Goulart was named interim city manager by the council following the dismissal of James Dinley from the post in March 2007.

Reasons for city manager changes in Fort Oglethorpe’s recent past range from the death of Mrs. Smith, to the firings of Paul Page and Mr. Dinley.

David Aldrich accepted the job and then resigned within 24 hours in May 2004 after he said he learned support for him was “unraveling.”