Blaine Williams, who’s served as Athens-Clarke County interim manager since Alan Reddish retired in February, is Mayor Nancy Denson’s pick to fill the position permanently.

Denson announced today that she’s named Williams the sole finalist, subject to approval by the ACC Commission at its Apr. 5 meeting. If his appointment is ratified as expected, his contract will run through June 2017.

“Not only are Blaine’s credentials exemplary, but so is his three-year work record with Athens-Clarke County,” Denson said in a news release. “This was evident not only to me, but also to the Commissioners who provided input to me on the candidates during the review process.”

Denson said she conducted a nationwide search that resulted in 17 candidates, but as with the nationwide search for an auditor, she ended up just going down the hall.

Reddish hired Williams as one of two assistant managers in January 2013. He oversaw the planning, public utilities, building permits and inspections, housing and community development, airport, transportation and public works, transit and solid waste departments.

Previously, he had served as assistant manager and manager of the Floyd County government, director of the Middle Georgia Regional Commission and director of downtown and river development in Rome. He also taught at Berry College.

Williams holds a master’s degree in public administration from UGA and has graduated from the LEAD Athens and Leadership Georgia programs, as well as the Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.