AUSTIN (KXAN) — The field for the vacant Austin city manager position has been narrowed down to two candidates.

The Austin City Council has invited two candidates to return for the final stages of the recruitment process. Last month, the city released the short list of six candidates it was considering. Out of the six, the council would like to move forward with Spencer Cronk and Howard Lazarus again.

Cronk currently works as Minneapolis city coordinator. His job is to direct the management of Minneapolis city government.

Lazarus currently works as the city administrator for Ann Arbor, Michigan. Lazarus previously worked for the city of Austin as a director for the Public Works Department and also served as interim assistant city manager for Austin in 2010.

Without a city manager, the city has not been able to hire people to fill nine vacant department head positions, such as the chief of police.