The Suffolk City Council will get its first look at the applications of the top 10 to 20 candidates interested in city’s upcoming vacancy for city manager next week.

Jim Mercer, president of the Mercer Group Inc., an Atlanta-based executive search firm, will be meeting with council members during a closed session at 4 p.m. Nov. 13. Thus far, Mercer said his firm has narrowed a pool of 75 applicants down to approximately 20 potential candidates, most of which will be presented to council member.

Mercer is expecting the council members to further weed down the list of candidates at next week.

Typically, Mercer will then handle the first round of interviews, conduct background checks and return to council with the firm recommends that council interview.

Mercer said his firm aggressively recruited several of the candidates who applied for the position being vacated by the retirement of Current City Manager Myles Standish. Although there has been public speculation that Assistant City Manager made be interested in the sea5t, he refused Thursday to discuss the issue.

The Mercer Group will be paid $10,750, with expenses not to exceed $6,000.