Leavenworth County commissioners will begin interviewing applicants for a newly created county administrator position in a series of closed, executive sessions beginning Thursday afternoon.

The county’s Human Resources Department received applications from 14 people for the opening.

According to the advertised job description, the administrator created by resolution and not by public referendum will be “the administrative officer for the County,” responsible for preparing and presenting an annual budget, coordinating the administrative operations of the departments, reviewing contracts and assuming administrative responsibility in areas designated by the county.

Three applicants will be interviewed by phone or in person Thursday, Commission Chairman J.C. Tellefson said, with three or four more interviews tentatively scheduled for next week.

Tellefson said of the original 14 candidates, seven were “completely qualified” with the requisite education, experience and budgeting background that was required.

The job description called for a master’s degree in business or public administration with five or more years experience in local government.

Commissioners would not discuss specifics on individual candidates because of privacy issues, but Tellefson said, “I’m very pleased with the pool of applicants. : We’ve got people from the coasts, people with military experience, people from the Midwest and local people.”

As for when a decision might be made, Tellefson said, “We’re going to be very methodical with the whole thing. I don’t think we’re going to rush into anything : working with a late March, early April time frame.”

All three commissioners previously expressed the desire to have a county administrator on board before preliminary budget hearings begin in May.

A salary range for the position was set at $81,549 to $91,549.