WATERVILLE — The firm conducting a city manager search plans to close July 1, but the process won’t be interrupted because a member of that firm started his own business and will continue Waterville’s search. Meanwhile, the city council is scheduled to hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday to consider applications for the job. Councilors are slated to vote to go into executive session to review applications, and no votes are expected following that closed-door meeting. Eaton Peabody, one of Maine’s largest and most influential law firms, announced last month that it would close its three offices in Bangor, Augusta and Portland by the end of June, citing evolving market conditions. It had been in business 85 years. Don Gerrish of that firm is conducting the Waterville manager search. In light of Eaton Peabody’s plan to cease operations, the Waterville City Council voted Tuesday to terminate the city’s agreement with the business, which had contracted with the city for $8,000. The council also voted to approve a professional services agreement with Gerrish, who has launched his business, Gerrish Municipal Consulting Services LLC. Gerrish will continue Waterville’s manager search. Gerrish said in a memo to city officials that there will be no fee for continuing the search. “The only continuing cost will be for reimbursement of direct expenses such as mileage, printing, advertising, and other reasonable expenses incurred,” he said. Former City Manager Bryan Kaenrath, who was hired in May 2023, left his position May 1 this year to become Lewiston city administrator. In late February, the city published an advertisement seeking applications for the manager’s position and councilors received the applications and resumes March 27 from Gerrish. The council had voted Feb. 5 to hire Eaton Peabody to help with the search process. It is the same firm the city used to find Kaenrath, who was hired at a salary of $155,000. In April, Mayor Mike Morris said councilors decided to start the manager search again, as they could not come to a consensus on the four people who were interviewed for the position. The council voted April 1 to hire Cornell Knight as interim city manager. He is being paid $95 an hour for the part-time interim position. Knight, who formerly worked for Eaton Peabody, served five stints as interim manager before coming to Waterville — in Hancock County, Farmington, Bar Harbor, Orono and most recently, Pittsfield.