Decatur’s first ever full-time aborist (officially Landscape Infrastructure Coordinator), India Woodson, has resigned with the city already searching for a replacement.
According to John Maximuk, director for the city’s Design, Environment and Construction Division, the job’s been posted nationally, statewide and on the city’s website. The initial deadline is Friday although that could be extended.
In the meantime the tree specialist company Aborguard has provided an interim, Ben Kent, to work part time for at least 20 business days beginning Wednesday.
Woodson remains on the job until Friday. She is leaving to take a similar position in Columbia, SC.
She’s been in Decatur since August 2014, accepting the position one month after the city’s new tree ordinance took effect. Before that she spent 11 years as DeKalb County aborist, after working as parks superintendent in Buford, S.C., where she graduated from the Technical College of the Low Country.
Woodson couldn’t be reached for comment Wednesday.
“We want [to announce Woodson’s replacement] as soon as possible,” Maximuk said. “It’s a very key position. We’re a woodsy city, the community here cares deeply about trees, one way or another, and the ordinance is complicated.”
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