Lawrence's incoming city manager Tom Markus answers questions in his Iowa City office on Jan. 27.

Lawrence’s new city manager, Tom Markus, is officially taking up the city’s top nonelected post next week.

Markus, 64, is coming to Lawrence from Iowa City, Iowa, where he served as city manager for five years. His start date is Monday.

In his first days in office, Markus plans to get to know city staff and stakeholders and get a grasp on Lawrence’s culture.

“My calendar is starting to fill in pretty well,” Markus said Thursday.

He’s wrapping up his time in Iowa City with a statewide city and county managers conference. Markus just finished leading Iowa City’s new City Council in completing its strategic plan and 2017 budget process — something he’ll start in Lawrence when he arrives.

Diane Stoddard, an assistant city manager, has been acting as city manager in an interim role for nine months. Former City Manager David Corliss resigned last June to become the town manager of Castle Rock, Colo.

Markus was selected as Lawrence’s city manger Jan. 14, at the end of a nationwide search that started with a pool of 54 applicants. The City Commission came to a consensus Dec. 18, kicking off a monthlong negotiation process.

City commissioners have said hiring Markus could be the most important decision the current commission makes. The city manager is responsible for overseeing city departments, administering the annual budget, preparing the weekly City Commission agenda and coordinating compliance with state and federal laws, among other things.

“For us, this is the single biggest decision we may make this term,” Commissioner Matthew Herbert said Jan. 14. “Having such a good leadership at the city manager level, there was no hurry. The sky was not falling in Lawrence, Kansas. There was no rush. We knew we could take our time and find the right one, and I think we have with Tom.”

Mayor Mike Amyx has said Markus’ more than 40 years in city government and his strategic planning experience would be a “great asset” to Lawrence. Amyx also pointed to Markus’ experience in a university town. Iowa City, which is slightly smaller than Lawrence, is home to the University of Iowa.

Markus will earn a base salary of $190,000, plus deferred compensation and other benefits. He’ll receive up to $30,000 in reimbursements for moving costs.

Under his employment contract, he and his wife, Debra, must establish permanent residency in Lawrence six months after his start date. The couple have three grown children in Michigan, Wisconsin and Utah.