Former Tonopah resident Clint Quilter and John Clark, an administrator in Yolo County, Calif., have dropped out of the running for the Nye County manager position, Personnel Director Donelle Shamrell told commissioners Tuesday.

Quilter, a Tonopah High School graduate, has been the city manager of Hollister, Calif., since May 2004 and has worked for several years for that central California community.

A selection committee had narrowed down a list of candidates to five finalists who would be called in for interviews. Three candidates are left in the pool.

Kurt Fritsch was the North Las Vegas city manager from 1999 to 2003 and an assistant city manager of Henderson from 1990 to 1996. Lionel J. Bushey II, has been chief executive officer for the city of Eagle River, Wis., since September 2003 and was previously manager of Oconto Falls, Wis., municipal utilities. Barbara Blumenfield is also from Wisconsin. She has been a consultant for Public Management partners in Muskego, Wis., since September 2005, and before that she was a city administrator of Oak Creek, Wis., and director of administrative services for the village of Menomonee Falls, Wis.

The three candidates remaining were interviewed on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week by the screening committee, Shamrell said. She urged the rankings of the candidates by the screening committee members be kept confidential.

Nye County Commission Chairman Gary Hollis, however, said the commission would like to bring the three candidates in front of the board for questions. He said the commission, after all, will be hiring the successful candidate.

Shamrell said she has only received a release from one candidate authorizing a background check.

That led Hollis to remark, "We shouldn't be in a hurry for this project, number one. We should get the best person that we possibly can."

If commissioners end up with only one candidate, they may not want to hire that person, he said. It conjured up images of the hiring of former County Manager Dave Chavez in 2002, who ended up as the only choice after a selection process.

Commissioner Candice Trummell said the board needs at least three choices. She said the selection committee may need to pick a few more candidates for a final list to submit to the county commission.

Shamrell said the county made an offer to the top candidate for the planning director position, but he declined. The county is going to advertise that position again.

Former Planning Director Ron Williams has been serving as the interim county manager since the termination of former Nye County Manager Mike Maher in March.