SYRACUSE — After nearly two months without a city administrator, the Syracuse City Council appointed Rodger Worthen to fill that post starting Monday.

Worthen, who was selected Tuesday out of a field of 25 candidates, began working for Syracuse as a city planner in 1999 and most recently was the city's community development director.

"He's well-respected by the staff and the community," said councilman Wally Peterson.

Peterson said Worthen won't miss a step in taking on his new job, which involves overseeing the day-to-day operations of the city, including budget preparation and personnel.

Worthen has also been the city's acting city administrator since the Feb. 2 firing of Ken Hubler, who held the post for just six months. Hubler "was taking the city in a different direction than we felt comfortable," Mayor Fred Panucci said at the time.

During an Oct. 10, 2006, meeting, the council had voted 4-1 to elevate Hubler's job title from city administrator to city manager and make him the city's chief executive officer, rather than the mayor. Panucci and Peterson were against the change.

A group of residents who also opposed the change began circulating a referendum petition to put the change to a vote and eventually filed a lawsuit against the city to rescind the October ordinance until a vote could happen. Second District Judge Jon Memmott sided with the residents March 1 and ordered the city to remove the title of city manager from city code and change it back to city administrator.

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