ALAMEDA — The City Council appears set to hire David Rudat as interim city manager as it continues to search for someone to permanently fill the position.

Rudat served as city manager of the city of Orange in Southern California for 10 years and his background also includes administrative posts in Canyon Lake, Los Alamitos, Modesto and Stockton.

Jill Keimach, the previous city manager, quit in May under a $900,000-plus settlement deal following her admission that she secretly audio-recorded two City Council members who she alleged tried to pressure her to hire their choice for fire chief.

Keimach said she made the recording on her cellphone as a way to show Vice Mayor Malia Vella and Jim Oddie were allegedly violating the city charter by interfering in the hiring process.

An independent investigator determined Oddie crossed a line by recommending a fire chief applicant in a letter on city letterhead, a violation of the charter. Vella was cleared of wrongdoing.

The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, however, is reviewing the tape and whether the cellphone recording was made legally.

The City Council will consider hiring Rudat at its July 24 meeting, and if that happens, he would start Aug. 6. His salary would be $123.75 an hour. As a CalPERS retiree, he would not be eligible for employment benefits.

It is expected that Rudat would not serve past Jan. 31, the date the City Council hopes to have hired a new city manager.

Assistant City Manager Elizabeth Warmerdam has been serving in the interim slot since Keimach’s departure.

Rudat has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Long Beach State University and a master’s in public administration from the University of Southern California.