EAST PROVIDENCE — To the surprise of few, the East Providence City Council unanimously voted Richard Kirby as the new permanent city manager following a special executive session and public meeting held Wednesday night, Sept. 22, in the City Hall Chamber.

Mr. Kirby, a city resident and attorney, replaces Paul Lemont, the former manager of the city for some 15 years from the late 1980s into the early 2000s who held the post on an interim basis since November of 2013 upon the firing of Paul Graczykowski.

"I'm looking forward to working with Richard. He's going to do a great job," said Council President and Mayor Tommy Rose. "I'm excited for him to start. He's going to talk with Paul about the transition, but he's ready to go from Day 1. In fact, he's going to be in the office tomorrow (Thursday) morning at 7:30 to start right away."

As expected, in the end all five councilors voted in the affirmative Wednesday. The only change from the agenda posted for the meeting came in the length of Mr. Kirby's initial contract. The Council added another year, making it a 36-month pact that started Wednesday and now concludes on September 23, 2018 instead of the original 2017 end date.

Aside from that amendment, the rest of the contract as posted is the same. Mr. Kirby will receive a base salary of $145,000 annually. The Council agreed to yearly job reviews. He will get 10 vacation days and 10 sick days. He will not accrue any personal or bereavement time. Mr. Kirby will not have access to a city vehicle, however he will receive a city cell phone and assorted computer devices.

Mr. Rose said he "felt very good" about the hiring process. He said he believed Mr. Kirby was the best candidate because of his understanding of zoning law, his time spent as a member of the state ethics committee and as an overseer during the state take-over of Central Falls, similar to what occurred in city with the budget commission.

"I think Richard was the best candidate because of his experience and knowledge," Mr. Rose added. "I feel very good about the city with Richard going forward."