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
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