AUBURN — A small group of residents in Auburn Hall on Thursday night had as much advice for city councilors as they did for the eventual city manager.

“You need to show that this elected body knows the difference between public policy and management — that you understand your role as policymakers and that you know the manager’s role is necessary to manage the community,” said John Cleveland of 183 Davis Ave.

Four residents came to Auburn Hall to meet with Interim City Manager Don Gerrish, a consultant from Eaton Peabody helping the city find a new manager. Those four were joined by Mayor Jonathan LaBonte and five of the seven city councilors.

Gerrish said the comments from those four, combined with comments posted to a questionnaire on the city’s website, www.auburnmaine.gov, and comments from city staff will help him draft an employment advertisement. The ad should start appearing in magazines and job listings regionally by Feb. 13. People interested in the job have until March 9 to submit their applications.

Gerrish and city councilors are hoping to locate a new manager and begin negotiating a salary by mid-May.

The previous council voted to terminate City Manager Glenn Aho’s contract in October.

At least one resident said he wanted a manager with a backbone.

“Ask the prospective manager, ‘Are you willing to tell us no?'” said Joe Mailey of 82 Webster St. “The manager has to be willing to stand up to the council and the mayor and say no when it’s not right, it won’t work, it’s against the law or something’s going to have a negative impact. And they need to be able to stand behind that.”

Cleveland, a former city councilor, mayor and chairman of the city’s Charter Commission, brought a specific list of qualifications he thought the manager should have. They included a college degree, preferably a master’s degree, and a minimum of seven years as a city manager. The candidate should have experience negotiating with unions, have strong financial and budgeting skills, good communication skills, knowledge of community development and tax-increment finance districts and be willing to commit to Auburn for a minimum of seven years.

“You need someone who has a very even temperament, who is not quick to anger and can work under very stressful conditions,” Cleveland said.

Steve Martelli, of 371 Main St., said the manager should be familiar with Maine’s climate.

“I feel he should be from Maine or a winter state, not a summer state,” he said. “We don’t need a guy from Florida coming up here because we have a whole different program than they do in a southern state.”

But residents had as much advice for city councilors and Mayor LaBonte. They urged the council to be willing to pay a fair wage and to demonstrate that the city works together.

“They are going to see if you can work together,” Cleveland said. “You are going to have to demonstrate that this is a group willing to work as a team with your professional manager.”

Dom Casavant, of 158 Val View Drive, agreed.

“If the council depends on the manager to cut the budget without giving him direction, that’s going to be different from a group that’s able to actually set policy,” Casavant said. “The manager you are able to hire really depends on the council you are willing to be.”

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