Steve McHarris sheds the “interim” part of his title just as the city faces one of the worst recessions in several generations.

The city manager will resign after barely a year-and-a-half on the job, marking the fourth time in two years that the position has been vacated.

Milpitas has hired a new chief administrator: San Jose deputy city manager Julie Edmonds-Mares.

Sources say Milpitas elected officials are close to selecting the next city manager from a field of 30 applicants.