The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday evening to appoint Tom Ginter as Beeville’s new city manager.

The decision came after a 40-minute executive session at the end of Tuesday’s regular meeting.

Ginter has worked at the interim director of public works of Port Aransas, Texas, since April and he has more than 20 years experience in municipal government.

He competed with more than 50 initial applicants for the position. In the end, Ginter and Beeville native John Longoria were the two finalists.

Although the council offered the position to Longoria first, he turned down the offer because of a salary disagreement.

Councilman David Carabajal made the motion to appoint the Ginter at a salary of $75,000 a year and the motion was seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Mike Scotten.

Mayor Santiago “Jim” Martinez then asked for a show of hands in support of the motion and each of the five members of the council raised their hand in support of the motion.

Ginter grew up in Peotone, Ill., a small town about 50 miles south of Chicago. He graduated from Peotone High School in 1975 and then earned a bachelor of arts degree in political science at Millikin University in Decatur, Ill., in 1979.

The new city manager attended the University of Oklahoma and received his master’s degree in public administration there in 1983.

Ginter has more than 20 years of experience in municipal government, having worked as a city manager and an assistant city manager.

He is divorced and the father of a 19-year-old daughter who is a freshman at Oklahoma State University.

Ginter moved to Texas in 2004.

“I’m a golfer,” the new city manager said. He was thrilled to learn that Beeville has two nine-hole courses and he said he cannot wait to play them.

Each of the five council members welcomed him to the position and they said they would be working closely with him in the months to come.

“I’ll see you on the golf course,” Ginter said.