The Austin Housing and Redevelopment Authority board decided yesterday on a 3-1 vote that City Engineer Jon Erichson will be its new executive director.

During a special personnel meeting Thursday afternoon, Commissioner Roger Boughton gave the motion to choose Erichson over the other two finalists, Julie Ackland and Marty Smith, according to Commissioner Chair Marv Repinski. Three votes were given in favor of Erichson, with Commissioner Marilyn Prenosil voted against the decision.

Repinski chose to abstain, saying he had spoken individually with Erichson about the job in the past and felt it would be proper for him to stay out of the vote.

On Monday, current HRA Executive Director Jim Hurm, Accountant Sherri Detloff, Vice-Commissioner Joyce Poshusta and Boughton will meet with Erichson to negotiate specifics such as salary, benefits and hours.

“They would represent our wishes to negotiate the details,” Repinski said.

At the HRA’s next board meeting on Nov. 15, the committee who met with Erichson will return to discuss their negotiation with the board. Tweaks to the agreement may be made before it is finalized, and then Erichson will have an opportunity to accept or decline the offer.

At the meeting, the full-time status of the upcoming director was still a topic of debate. Repinski said he would like to see at least a 30-hour arrangement made, but the board did not decide whether to keep with its earlier decision for a full-time position.

The new HRA executive director is set to start in January, and will replace Hurm, who is part time.