STEUBENVILLE — A former councilman has been tapped to be Steubenville’s next city manager.

Councilman at large Joel Walker said Tuesday Steubenville native Mike Johnson, a former Second Ward councilman, had been offered the job “and now we have to work out the contract and other details.”

“I believe he brings a new and different perspective to the job,” Walker said after the meeting. “He is a life-long resident, and I hope he will do what’s best for the city and help us move forward.”

The job offer followed a closed-door session during which council discussed their two finalists for the city manager job, then returning to their public session to vote 5-2 to hire Johnson. Second Ward Councilman Tracy McManamon and Sixth Ward Councilwoman Jennifer Terpenning cast the no votes.

Johnson had been elected to council in 2014 but lost his bid for a second term to the late Craig Petrella, father of current Mayor Ralph Petrella.

As city manager, Johnson will succeed the current office holder, Jim Mavromatis — who he had voted to hire in 2016. Mavromatis had planned to retire in March after 10 years on the job but, after council announced its initial, nationwide search for a new city manager had turned up empty, he expressed a willingness to stay on several weeks longer enough to acclimate his replacement to the nuances of the job.

Mayor Petrella, contacted later, said he was happy the near six-month search was over.

“After a long and tedious search process, I’m very excited that we are looking to hire a Steubenville native,” he said. “I am excited for an opportunity to work with somebody who has been on City Council — I think this is a great opportunity to move Steubenville forward in the right direction. We had several great candidates; it was a great candidate pool this time.”

Council, meanwhile, appears poised to install sidewalks on University Boulevard from Wellesley Avenue to North Street street and on Wellesley Avenue Extension from University Boulevard to Carnegie Street.

After a 25-minute planning meeting, Third Ward Councilwoman Heather Hoover sunshined the proposed legislation authorizing the city manager to move forward with the work.

City Engineer Mike Dolak said the project would likely be funded with federal dollars routed through Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson Metropolitan Planning Commission, which would require as much as 20 percent in local matching funds. But with so many college students walking among dorms, the campus and nearby businesses, he said the Franciscan University of Steubenville is eager to assist.

“Franciscan University is a major stakeholder in the community,” he said, “and they’re willing to provide at least some of the local match for the sidewalk project.”

Dolak said there’s been a steady increase in pedestrian traffic along University Boulevard in recent years, with Franciscan Square drawing about 97,000 visitors a year. Another 11,000 people attend conferences there “plus another 21,000 visitors (come to see) students and staff.”

With new dorms being built and new businesses coming in, Dolak said he expects those numbers to spike.

“With the addition of the new dormitories along University Boulevard, the capacity will increase by 1,000 so the sidewalk will be a great addition to the area, not to mention a gateway for pedestrian traffic to walk from downtown to Franciscan Square and Belleview Park,” he said.

Construction costs alone — which don’t include engineering and construction inspection — are currently estimated to be around $1.2 million, though that’s just a preliminary number. He said construction likely won’t begin until 2028.

Council considered several other areas but opted for University and Wellesley based on the projected pedestrian usage.

“The goal is to improve safety,” Dolak said. “Everything can’t be funded … so it seems like University is the one to move forward with, and if we can tag Wellesley on, too, that would be good.”

He said the Mall Drive/John Scott Highway sidewalk extension is still in their sights.

“It’s a good project as well,” Dolak said. “With the existing and new business in and around the mall as well as the addition of Youngstown state University, we will continue to look for funding to develop sidewalks (there.)”