During its busy, four-hour-long meeting Monday, Washington’s City Council took care of numerous items of business, including adopting the city’s budget for fiscal year 2011-2012, which begins July 1.

Perhaps unnoticed by most of those who attending the meeting was a consent-agenda item. Consent-agenda items, unless removed from that agenda, are voted on at one time. The item: naming Matt Rauschenbach, the city’s chief finance officer and assistant city manager, as acting city manager from July 1 through July 31.

Interim City Manager Pete Connet’s contract expires June 30. Newly appointed City Manager Joshua L. Kay does not begin his new job until Aug. 1.

The city’s day-to-day operations will be in capable hands during Rauschenbach’s month-long term as acting city manager. During his tenure as the city’s CFO and assistant city manager, Rauschenbach has more than proved himself when it comes to looking out for the city’s fiscal picture. When it comes to the city’s finances, the thing to remember is that the City Council sets policies and staffers, including Rauschebach, carry out those policies.

Rauschenbach’s efforts in helping put together past city budgets and the budget for the upcoming fiscal year have been commendable. Mayor Archie Jennings praised Rauschenbach (and others) by name during Monday’s meeting for his work related to the upcoming budget.

We concur with that recognition.

And if the council should ever find itself seeking a city manager to replace Kay, it should consider Rauschenbach. He’s earned that consideration.