Lakewood Council Names Five City Manager Finalists

Lakewood City Council selected five finalists on July 21, 2026, in a national search for the city’s next city manager, according to the City of Lakewood.

The announcement does not identify the five finalists. It also does not provide interview dates, an anticipated selection date or a deadline for hiring the next manager. The available details therefore do not establish when the council will make its final choice.

Role tied to city priorities

Lakewood operates under a council-manager form of government. The city manager oversees municipal operations and carries out council priorities, making the search a consequential city-government leadership development even though no hiring decision has been announced.

Lakewood’s 2026 council priorities include homelessness, the local economy and local businesses, increasing revenue, waste licensing and a charter committee. The next city manager will be selected for a position connected to the city’s ongoing work in those areas.

The search remains at the finalist-selection stage described in the July 21 announcement. The city has not made public the names of the candidates or a schedule for the next step, so the timing of the council’s selection remains unavailable.