The City of Austin, Texas has narrowed its list of candidates for its open city manager position to two, and the head of the Seattle Department of Transportation is not one of them.

Scott Kubly was announced last month as one of six finalists for the role.

In a meeting on Thursday, that city's council voted to move forward with Minneapolis city administrator Spencer Cronk and Ann Arbor, Mich. city administrator Howard Lazarus for public meetings this week.

That decision came after meetings with five candidates on Dec. 3, and discussions with city stakeholders.

Kubly, who attended middle and high school in Austin, and earned his masters degree in Community and Regional Planning from the University of Texas, was tabbed to head SDOT in June 2014 by then-mayor Ed Murray, after holding administrative roles in both Chicago and Washington, D.C.'s departments of transportation, in addition to a stint as acting president of Alta Bicycle Share.

It remains unclear whether Kubly will be retained by Jenny Durkan as SDOT director, as the new mayor shapes her administration. Last week, it was announced that Seattle Police Chief Kathleen O'Toole would step down at year's end, while City Light CEO Larry Weis had resigned in what was called a "mutual decision," by Durkan. Fire Chief Harold Scoggins, Emergency Management Director Barb Graff, and Seattle Public Utilities head Mami Hara were all asked to remain in their positions.

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