FRANKLIN—The Franklin City Council has narrowed its search for a new city manager to 18 candidates.

Current City Manager June Fleming will retire in December. The city in June began advertising the position and had 34 candidates apply before the Aug. 1 deadline, said Human Resources Director Carolyn Joyner. Among applicants were a few with Franklin addresses; all were excluded because they did not meet the qualifications, Joyner said.

Mayor Jim Councill said the city is looking for a candidate who has experience managing a city similar to Franklin. Someone who has experience in managing a natural disaster and financial sense would be high on the list.

“We’re hoping to look for someone who has municipal experience,” Councill said.

The 18 applicants are from as far west as Missouri and as far south as Florida, in addition to North Carolina and Virginia.

“We’re not limiting ourselves in terms of geography,” Councill said. “We’re open to the best candidate.”

The council plans to meet Monday in a closed session to narrow down the list to five to six candidates for interviews, Councill said.