Cincinnati City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to confirm Patrick Duhaney as the permanent city manager.
The confirmation vote was 8-0, with Council Member Amy Murray absent from the meeting.
Duhaney has been the acting city manager since Harry Black resigned in April just minutes before council was set to vote on an ordinance to begin the process to fire him.
Mayor John Cranley nominated him for the position last week.
Cranley said he was "blown away" by Duhaney the first time he met him when he was serving as the city's chief procurement officer. Cranley described him as "calm, cool, but thorough."
The mayor also praised Duhaney's military service including combat missions.
Council Member P.G. Sittenfeld said he's excited about Duhaney taking the permanent position. He asked Duhaney to focus on three things when making decisions.
"Is this in the best long-term interest of the city?" Sittenfeld said. "Is this helping Cincinnati grow? Is this making Cincinnati a more fair and equitable community?"
Council Member Tamaya Dennard also praised Duhaney. She asked him to focus on equity.
"Recognizing that some things are the way they are because they have to be," Dennard said. "But some things are the way they are because people haven't tried to do anything different. A different kind of thinking, and you and I bounce ideas off each other and I want to continue that."
Duhaney, 36, lives in Sayler Park with his wife and son.
Under the City Charter, the mayor is tasked with selecting a city manager and also the only person who can begin the process to replace the city manager. Council must approve both the hiring and firing of those officials.
Cranley asked Black to resign March 9, later saying Black had been "abusive" toward city employees and acted unprofessionally. Black refused.
On March 17, Cranley and Black announced they had agreed to a separation agreement. However, a council majority opposed that plan.
By April, Council Member Greg Landsman, who had previously opposed firing Black, changed his mind, giving the mayor five votes, or a majority, to oust Black, leading to his resignation.
