Eighty-two men and women from around the country have applied to be the first assistant to the city manager that City Hall ever has hired, says Serena Wright Black, Human Resources director.

Applicants stormed in with a rush at the end. As recently as last Wednesday, two days before the deadline, there were but 35 candidates.

As City Manager John Nachbar marks his fifth anniversary in the lead chair this month, this will be the first time he has had a genuine aide-de-camp.

Before he quietly departed City Hall in the spring, “assistant city manager” was one of the titles Martin Cole, the city clerk, held. At best, Mr. Cole was a part-timer in the city manager realm.

Mr. Nachbar said that to accomplish the increasingly complex business of the community, he needed a traditional deputy with a laser focus on the city manager’s office.

As it stands, Mr. Nachbar said it likely will be November before the assistant to the city manager reaches his desk for the first time.

Ms. Wright Black explained the beginning of the weeding out process:

“The next step is to review the applications in light of the requirements, determine which ones meet the requirements. We will have a meeting with the city manager to discuss what the next examination components will be.

“My analyst will do the first screening. She will have a pool of applicants she will recommend move forward in the process.

“We will not pare down so much by numbers, moreso by the number of strongly qualified applicants.”

Ms. Wright Black said that the numerically impressive pool of 82 contenders “shows this is a great opportunity for people on the city manager’s track in their careers. They realize that Culver City is a strong, solid city.”

The position paus $131,000.