Donnie Holloway is working to train the replacement for his current job even while he learns about his new position.

Holloway, the Democratic nominee for Natchez city clerk, will be unopposed in the Tuesday general election.

The new city administration will be sworn in July 1.

Mayoral candidates F.L. &uot;Hank&uot; Smith, the Democratic nominee, and Robert F. Costa, an independent, face each other in the only contested race left on the general election ballot.

Holloway, now business manager for Natchez Ford Lincoln Mercury, said he expects a smooth transition, in part because current clerk Frances Trosclair is retiring. She has offered her help to the new city clerk.

&uot;I’ve talked to Frances,&uot; Holloway said. &uot;We’ve met on a couple of occasions.&uot;

Holloway said he has also talked with employees in the office and has been approached by several department heads, who are already working on their budgets for the next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.

Holloway expects to continue working with a former opponent. Independent candidate JoeAnne Hicks, a deputy city clerk in the office, dropped out of the race last week. Both said they are looking forward to working together.

Holloway said Trosclair has been helping him get up-to-date on the workings of the office and the current projects on the city’s plate.

&uot;I need to familiarize myself with the procedures in there,&uot; he said. &uot;It’s going to be a learning process.&uot;

The city clerk oversees day-to-day finances and budgets, personnel and, every four years, the municipal election process.

Much of Holloway’s summer will probably be spent working on the next year’s budget, he said.

Holloway said he does not anticipate many challenges as he makes the transition into the office, but he is looking forward to working with city employees and with the public.

And while he doesn’t have any predictions about who will be the next mayor, Holloway said he is looking forward to working with a new administration.

Holloway’s road to the office was marked by two elections and saw two candidates drop out of the race. In addition to Hicks, Democrat Peter Rinaldi bowed out just before the May 2 primary.

Holloway and Fredericka Cain Todd were forced into a May 16 runoff, which Holloway won with nearly 60 percent of the vote.