One of the five Albert Lea city manager finalists withdrew from the search Monday because of a conflict with a job interview in another city, which was scheduled for the same weekend as the finalist interviews in Albert Lea.

Brimeyer Fursman President Richard Fursman, who is helping the city in the search for a new manager, said Grant Kleinhenz, the city manager of Centralia, Ill., was picked as a city manager finalist almost simultaneously by two cities.

The finalist interviews were scheduled for the same weekend — March 25 and 26 — so Kleinhenz had to pick which city he wanted to continue with. He ultimately chose the other community.

Kleinhenz has worked as city manager in Centralia, Ill., since December 2004, working with 13 department heads who report to him directly, along with three administrative staff. There are about 130 full-time employees in this city.

Prior to Centralia, he worked as city administrator in Humboldt, Iowa, assistant town manager in Fishers, Ind., and executive director of the Ripley City Economic Development Corp.

The new finalist will be former Albert Lea city manager finalist Dean Torreson, who has worked as the city administrator in Macomb, Ill., population 20,000, since 2008. There, he supervises 102 full-time employees and receives a salary of $88,000.

Torreson has also worked as city manager in Spencer, Iowa, population 11,317, for 10 years; as city administrator in Atlantic, Iowa, population 7,432, for six years; city administrator of West Point, Iowa, population 1,133, for five years; and city administrator of Osceola, Iowa, population 4,139, for three years.

Albert Lea Mayor Vern Rasmussen said there is also the potential the council will ask the second alternate to come to town for the interviews as well.

Still in the running also as finalists are Chad Adams, Medina city administrator; Pat Merrill, former city manager in Fort Morgan, Colo.; David Minke, former deputy county administrator in Anoka County; and Greg Withers, former Princeton city administrator.

The candidates and their spouses are slated to come to Albert Lea March 25 and 26 for a tour of the city, to meet community members and to ultimately be interviewed by the City Council.

The search is under way after former Albert Lea City Manager Jim Norman resigned last fall amid allegations that he misused the city-issued credit card for personal purchases. He was hired last year around the same time.