TRACY — Kris Ambuehl’s resignation as city administrator was accepted by the Tracy City Council on Tuesday, but he will be helping out the city for at least few more months.

Ambuehl sent his letter of resignation to city council members Monday morning after accepting a job with the city of St. Joseph in central Minnesota near St. Cloud. He stated his last day as city administrator would be Aug. 9.

During an emergency city council meeting Tuesday, Ambuehl offered to assist the city beyond Aug. 9.

“I will help out in any manner the council requests of me. I do have to limit it to 20 hours or less a week and I have the criteria I can’t work past January 1,” Ambuehl told the council. “Their (St. Joseph Council) exact words to the council here, I can say publicly, is they want the cities to work together and they want to help in any way they can.”

Ambuehl only requested that he remain a city employee until he’s no longer needed.

“I can’t do it as a direct consultant and not have liability coverage,” he said. “I have to carry some kind of insurance policy. I don’t want to sound callous, but I want to help the city, but I don’t want it to cost me money in the process either.”

The council accepted Ambuehl’s offer to help out in a part-time capacity until a new city administrator is hired. The council also decided to appoint Public Works Director Shane Daniels as interim city administrator after he accepted the offer from Mayor Anthony Dimmers. Ambuehl was appointed assistant to the city administrator.

Ambuehl also volunteered to travel from St. Joseph for city council meetings, but warned it was a six-hour drive for him. Council member Jeri Schons suggested the use of Skype to avoid travel costs for Ambuehl and the city.

Daniels filled in as interim city administrator before Ambuehl was hired more than a year ago. He agreed to fill the interim city administrator position for the same amount of compensation he received previously at $2,000 a month.

At the start of Wednesday’s meeting, Ambuehl also volunteered to give the council suggestions on how to conduct the search for the new administrator. One of his suggestions was to expand the pay scale in the advertisement of the position. He said most city administrator job seekers will ignore advertisements that list salaries below $100,000.

“You don’t necessarily have to give it to them,” he said of the $100,000.

Council member Tony Peterson made the motion to present the pay scale in the advertisement between $70,000 to $105,000. The council unanimously passed that motion.

Ambuehl also recommended an open house for residents to meet the candidates for the position before members of the council conduct interviews to allow public input.