Mike Wildgen, a former Lawrence city manager, is in negotiations to become the interim city administrator in Eudora.

The Eudora City Council at a meeting Monday night unanimously approved entering into talks with Wildgen, who worked for the city of Lawrence for about 32 years — 16 of those as city manager.

Wildgen currently is interim director of Watkins Community Museum of History in Lawrence, which is a part-time position. He said he would like to retain his position with Watkins.

The council contacted Wildgen after Cheryl Beatty resigned her position as city administrator April 15.

Wildgen said that he likely would accept the position and that the main reason he would be hired is to prepare the city’s 2010 budget.

Eudora City Councilman Jeff Peterson agreed that budget concerns were the primary reason Wildgen was chosen but he said there were other issues the council believed Wildgen could provide guidance.

“Clearly, the thing that we really need from an interim is getting through the budget process; that’s by far the most important issue,” Peterson said. “But we also need some help in the area of personnel issues. So, it was really a more in-depth decision.”

Eudora Mayor Scott Hopson said the city would offer Wildgen a contract asking that he serve until the city finds a permanent city administrator.