AUBURN — Councilors ended their trial period with Howard Kroll on Monday, giving him a five-year contract as city manager.

Councilors made Kroll the acting manager in November, replacing Clinton Deschene.

On Monday night, after an hourlong executive session, councilors announced they had settled a contract giving Kroll the job. Councilor Adam Lee said Kroll will get a $99,000 annual salary to start.

Kroll said he was pleased.

“I love it here, I love the employees I work with and I appreciate the faith you have in me as well as the staff,” Kroll said.

Kroll was Auburn’s assistant manager from 2012 to November 2014. Before that, he served as Brewer’s city clerk since 2007.

Kroll has more than 14 years in municipal service, working as town manager in Milbridge and St. Agatha. He has an undergraduate degree in public management and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Maine and is credentialed through the Maine Town, City and County Management Association.

Kroll is also a supply corps officer in the Naval Reserves and is a Navy veteran with nearly 23 years of service. He recently returned from an Operation Iraqi Freedom Deployment.

He serves on the Maine Municipal Association Legislative Policy Committee, USS New Jersey Veterans Association, Iraqi and Afghanistan Veterans Association, American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars.