Waitaki's mayor and councillors are getting to the business end of selecting a new chief executive at the Waitaki District Council.
This week, Mayor Gary Kircher and a panel of five councillors interviewed seven shortlisted candidates, including one from overseas, for the role.
They have whittled the list down to three people for final interviews with the mayor and all councillors.
Dates for the interviews were still being set, but Mr Kircher expected they would happen within the next few weeks.
He hoped to be able to make a decision by mid-April.
"As soon as we can, were looking forward to making that announcement.
"But it just depends on how this next round goes, when it can happen and then whatever negotiation has to happen after that."
About 40 people, from across New Zealand and overseas, applied for the job, and Mr Kircher said the quality of candidates was pleasingly very good.
But I think we all recognised that the next [round] is going to be particularly difficult to make a choice which is a really good problem, he said.
Outgoing chief executive Fergus Power announced in July last year he was leaving the organisation, just shy of four years into his five-year contract.
Petone recruitment consultancy Equip has been helping find his replacement.
