WEST POINT — Tom Hanson, West Point's previous assistant city manager, has been named the city's interim manager.

"It was our plan all along," West Point Mayor John Petroff Jr. said of the temporary appointment. He also said that Hanson is one of the candidates for the permanent city manager position.

Rick Davis had been the city manager of the northwestern Davis County city of almost 12,000 since September 2000. He left the city July 4 to take a position with the town of Fountain Hills, Ariz. Fountain Hills is a community of approximately 30,000 located just east of Scottsdale in the Phoenix metro area.

Petroff said Hanson has been with West Point for about 2 1/2 years, specializing in the operation of the city's parks and recreation operations.

"He's done an excellent job," Petroff said.

West Point city officials will now spend at least several weeks interviewing other candidates for the position, before making a decision.

During Davis' tenure with West Point, he directed the transition of a farming hamlet into a full-service suburb. Changes the city has seen during Davis' stint include the completion of dozens of capital projects, a revamping of the city's general plan, the development of several master plans and the organization of the North Davis Fire District. In 2003, West Point received the Governor's Quality Growth Award, recognizing its general plan as the state's best.

Davis previously stated he is proud of the progress the city has made in its development of a downtown district and the role West Point is playing in the creation of the Davis Technology and Economic Cooperative — a three-city effort to bring high-paying jobs to northwest Davis County.

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E-mail: lynn@desnews.com