NATCHEZ &045; Aldermen have a wide variety of applicants to consider when filling the city’s vacant city planner position, Personnel Director Patricia Gibson told the board in a Thursday recessed meeting.

The city’s personnel office received 21 applications &045; four from Mississippi, two from Tennessee and the rest from as far away as California, Michigan, Ohio and North Carolina. Gibson said one application was unreadable and that candidate has not returned her call.

Of the other applicants, seven have American Institute of Certified Planners certification, which a planner must complete a certain amount of training to achieve. In addition, two applicants have significant historic preservation experience.

In advertising the position on the American Planning Association’s Web site, the city said it preferred someone AICP certified with a master’s degree and education and/or experience in historic preservation.

Mayor Phillip West asked Gibson to recommend semi-finalists.

Their qualifications would then be reviewed in more detail by West, Gibson and others well-versed in Natchez planning issues. Such reviewers would include Mimi Miller, director of education and preservation for the Historic Natchez Foundation.

&uot;We’ll then set the process&uot; by which the full Board of Aldermen will interview candidates to narrow the list down as much as possible, West said.

Aldermen Theodore &uot;Bubber&uot; West had only one request &045; &uot;I hope we will consider candidates from communities that are considered progressive&uot; &045; with Mayor West assuring him that is a main criterion.

Aldermen then went into an executive session to discuss that and other personnel matters, including a Recreation Department financial matter Mayor West said involved personnel.

Under state law, public bodies can go into such as closed-door session to discuss matters under several headings, including personnel.

Former City Planner Bob Jackson resigned in February.