The Ramsey County Board voted Tuesday to sign a two-year contract with new County Manager Ryan O'Connor.
O'Connor, 34, will start July 30, replacing Julie Kleinschmidt, who will retire after leading the county for 10 years. As county manager he will essentially act as the county's chief executive.
"Ryan has proven himself as a leader who understands the critical role of county government and is committed to excellent service for all of our communities," said Jim McDonough, board chairman.
The board voted unanimously Tuesday to hire O'Connor and then voted 5 to 1 to approve his contract, with one commissioner absent.
O'Connor, who has been with the county since 2013, will be paid a base salary of $181,000 a year to oversee the day-to-day operations of the county, its nearly 4,000 employees and an annual spending plan that will grow to $736 million in 2019.
O'Connor was selected after a monthslong hiring process that began when Kleinschmidt announced her retirement early this year.
He was first hired by the county as its director of policy and planning, and promoted in 2016 to deputy county manager where he oversaw its largest division, Health and Wellness.
"This is a thrilling opportunity to continue driving our mission to become an organization of excellence," O'Connor said.
