Tuch out of running for city planning director

Asheville’s Interim Planning Director Shannon Tuch, who took over the department’s management last year upon the resignation of Scott Shuford, says she loves urban planning but not the “politics and management issues” inherent in leading such a high-profile department. Thus, she won’t seek to make her interim status permanent, despite the fact it “is a very demanding and exciting job.”

Tuch’s announcement came during an informal Q&A session held during the April 24 meeting of the city’s Citizens Academy.

After initially resisting applying for the permanent job, Tuch told a questioner she eventually relented and applied, only to have a change of heart and withdraw her application. Tuch, whose background is in landscape architecture and planning, said she’ll be happy to hand over the reins to a new leader, whenever that happens, so she can concentrate on what she does and loves best. So far, the city has completed a second round of candidate interviews to find a successor, she said. Other than that, “I’m completely in the dark, as I should be” on the candidate-search status, she added.

For more on the latest session of Citizens Academy, pick up the April 30 Xpress.

— Hal L. Millard, staff writer

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

One thought on “Tuch out of running for city planning director

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.