Avondale Estates has hired a temporary city planner to the fill the vacancy left by Keri Stevens, whose last day was August 23. Consultant Shannon Powell has already started work for an initial one-month duration. If she proves a good fit City Manager Patrick Bryant said he’ll recommend extending her contract through year’s end.

Powell is working a 24-hour week with a one-month salary of $9600.

Bryant, however, said he still isn’t sure how he’ll configure the position permanently.

“Right now I don’t know if we’ll hire just a city planner, or somebody who also has economic experience,” he said. “I’m not sure if we’ll hire one or two people. A lot of factors go into making that decision.”

Stevens, who resigned to become Gwinnett County’s Division Director of Real Estate and Records, is the first and only city planner in Avondale’s 95-year history. Originally hired in 2010, she was promoted to Assistant City Manager/City Planner last November. But Bryant said he isn’t sure if the permanent replacement(s) will fill the same roles.