The City Schools Decatur superintendent job now has over 70 applicants according to Brad Draeger, senior associate for the search firm Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates. Draeger hasn’t yet determined how many of those are sitting superintendents, or where they all come from, although he did say the two most distant applicants are from west of the Mississippi.

“From what I’m seeing, the primary drawing cards for this job are the southern climate and that the location is metro Atlanta,” Draeger said Tuesday. “Add to that, Decatur has the reputation as one of the best school districts in Atlanta.”

Draeger added he would determine the finalists — “as few as six and as many as 20” — by mid-August, with the board probably conducting interviews in late August. The consultant said he still anticipates the board will name a new superintendent by September.