FAIRMONT– Several hours before a special meeting on Wednesday to consider the hiring of the final Fairmont City Administrator candidate, Pat Oman withdrew from the running.

Oman, the current Community Development Director, was one of three candidates the council had determined it would like to do a second interview with and he was the last of the three to withdraw from the running.

Fairmont has been without a city administrator since November 2024 when Matt Skaret resigned following a six month performance evaluation. Since then, Jeff O’Neill has been serving as interim city administrator.

It’s O’Neill’s second time in the role in Fairmont as he previously served in the time between when Cathy Reynolds resigned in April 2023 and Skaret was hired in April 2024.

A few months ago, with the help of consulting firm MGT, the city posted the position and ultimately received nearly 30 applications. However, only 10 met the minimum qualifications. Of the 10, eight were selected for further consideration and during a meeting on Sept. 8, the council decided to do in-person interviews with five of the candidates, four of which were deemed “tier 1” and one which was considered “tier 2” based on experience.

On Thursday, Sept. 18, the council interviewed Scott Hilderbrand, Lou Leone and Sam Demel. On Friday, Sept. 19 it interviewed Dana Schoening and Oman. Following the interviews on the 19th, the council determined it would like to do second round interviews, which would come with a background check, with Hilderbrand, Schoening and Oman.

However, on Sept. 22, Schoening withdrew from the running and on Sept. 25, Hilderbrand withdrew, leaving Oman.

Notice was given on Friday, Sept. 26 that council members Randy Lubenow and Britney Kawecki called for a special meeting to consider hiring the final city administrator candidate. The meeting was to begin at 5 p.m. in council chambers on Wednesday, Oct. 1.

In the afternoon of Oct. 1, Oman gave notice that he would like to withdraw his candidacy for the city administrator position with the city of Fairmont.

Nonetheless, the council still met at 5 p.m. on Wednesday. Mayor Lee Baarts asked if there was approval of the single-item agenda. Kawecki said she would like to add an item. Christina Petsoulis, an attorney with Flaherty and Hood, said it would have to be within the posted topic and because Kawecki wanted to talk about the interim city administrator, the addition was not granted.

The agenda was approved 4-1 with Kawecki opposed.

O’Neill then said the business at hand was to consider hiring the final city administrator candidate but that afternoon they had received a letter from Oman asking for his candidacy to be withdrawn.

“Therefore given the narrow nature of that notice and the withdraw of that candidate, there really isn’t anything further to discuss at this meeting,” O’Neill said.

Lubenow made a motion to adjourn and Council Member Jay Maynard seconded it. The meeting ended after just two minutes.

Next steps have yet to be determined. The council has its next regular meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 13.