BRUNSWICK — The Town Council’s long search for a new town manager is drawing closer to completion. 

And the one candidate with whom the council is most familiar is still in the mix. 

On July 16, three separate panels will interview the six remaining applicants hoping to succeed former Town Manager Don Gerrish, who was Brunswick’s top executive for nearly 20 years.

Gary Brown, who Gerrish hired two years ago as the assistant town manager, has been the town’s acting manager since Gerrish retired at the end of 2008. He will be among the six candidates being interviewed by a citizen panel, a town employee panel and a professional panel.

Brown, the former town manager in Topsham, confirmed Monday that he is in the final six. The identities of the other candidates have been kept confidential by Municipal Resources Inc., the firm assisting the council in its search.

Brown said he was told by Municipal Resources that the list of finalists will be reduced by two or three people following the July 16 meetings, in preparation for the Town Council’s interview on July 17. 

Alan Gould, of Municipal Resources, confirmed that the council would only interview the “top candidates” on July 17.

The hiring of a new manager will conclude a long search process. Gerrish notified the council of his plans to retire last fall.

Although the council began discussing the search in November, it didn’t seek a consulting firm until new councilors were sworn into office in January.

The council hired Municipal Resources in the spring.