BASALT ” Tough economic times might be spurring more interest in the Basalt town manager’s opening now than just a few months ago.

The town government received 24 applications for the opening by Monday’s deadline. The job was advertised in September and October as well, but attracted only 18 applicants.

The Town Council failed to land its top candidate the first time around. It narrowed the field to three, then one candidate dropped out after being offered a different job. The council offered to the job to one of the finalists, but he declined the offer, in part because of the high cost of housing in Basalt, Mayor Leroy Duroux said at the time.

Basalt re-advertised the job locally and with an association for municipal governments in Colorado. The position pays between $115,000 and $130,000. When it re-advertised the opening, the council said assistance with housing was negotiable.

The names of the current applicants won’t be released. Town officials said state law requires them to release the names of applicants when the field is narrowed to three or fewer.

The resignation of Bill Efting created the opening. Efting announced in August that he would leave but offered to stay on until the end of the year to help with the transition. He said the council asked him to stay until the end of January, which he will do. The town doesn’t have a deadline for naming a new manager.

Efting said it’s probably safe to say the tough economic times spurred greater interest in the job this time around. “I think we’re seeing that in all jobs,” he said.

Basalt’s economy held its own in 2008. Sales tax revenues, the single largest revenue source for the town, were up more than 4 percent through November.