NATCHEZ – For Gretchen Kuechler, leaving Natchez for a new job as deputy planner for the town of Ridgefield, Conn., feels like leaving home.

&uot;If I could say anything about my time here, it would be that I’ve enjoyed getting to know the people of Natchez,&uot; said Kuechler, who officially announced her resignation to city officials earlier this week.

&uot;I almost feel like I’m leaving my hometown,&uot; she added.

Kuechler’s last day as assistant city planner for the City of Natchez is Dec. 26.

She will start her new job in Ridgefield – population 22,000 – in early January, although the exact date has not yet been determined.

She first started work with the City of Natchez in November 1998 after serving as a staff planner in Hutchinson, Kan.

The northwest Houston native graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in architecture and a master’s degree in city planning.

In Ridgefield, Kuechler will work primarily with Inland-Wetland Board and the Planning Commission.

In Natchez, she has worked closely with the city’s Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Adjustments.

Kuechler has been involved in several major planning projects, such as revising the city’s sign and telecommunications ordinances and tables of uses permitted in the city’s zoning districts, said City Planner David Preziosi.

She also coordinated Census 2000 activities for Natchez, worked closely with the Mayor’s Youth Council and the Natchez Downtown Development Association.

&uot;Gretchen has been a big asset to the department,&uot; Preziosi said. &uot;She’s done a terrific job since she’s been here, and we hate to see her go.&uot;