Mineola didn’t have to look far for a new city manager.

City Secretary Cindy Karch was the city council’s unanimous choice Monday to replace Mercy Rushing.

The council spent 45 minutes behind closed doors, then offered a contract to Karch starting March 1. Rushing is retiring Feb. 28.

Karch joined the city in 2015 after 20 years in banking, most recently as vice president of deposit operations for BTH Bank (now Origin).

During that time she served two stints with the U.S. Air Force reserves – one during Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom.

The Mineola graduate earned associates degrees with Tyler Junior College (history) and the Community College of the Air Force (finance) and majored in business at East Texas A&M. She is a Texas registered clerk, and on Friday graduated as a Texas certified public manager from Stephen F. Austin University. (see photo)

She also has training in public funds investment, budget management, emergency management and economic development.

The city manager also serves as the director of the Mineola Economic Development Corp., which Karch has served as assistant director.

She is also guiding the city through an extensive software upgrade.

She and husband Rodney, with the U.S. Postal Service, have two sons.

“Thank you all for your vote of confidence,” she said, after being given a round of applause by the city staff following the council vote.