NATCHEZ — The Natchez Board of Aldermen voted Wednesday to pay the interim tourism director $5,000 a month for the position.

The board voted last week to contract Tricentennial Director Jennifer Ogden Combs as interim director. Former director Kevin Kirby was terminated approximately two weeks ago following a few months of ongoing personnel issues and a financial investigation into the Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Combs’ $5,000 per month fee is in addition to compensation she receives as tricentennial director, which the city is reimbursed for through grant funding.

The tricentennial monthly fee of $5,000 will be reduced for the interim period — set to end Sept. 30 — during which Combs will serve as tourism director. Combs said the reduction would likely be approximately $1,000.

The board also voted to move Combs’ sole tricentennial staff member, city liaison Kelin Hendricks, to the office of tourism management and compensate her $2,000 per month for additional duties she will take on in the absence of employees who recently departed.

Ward 5 Alderman Mark Fortenbery stressed that Combs’ and Hendricks’ positions were to fill vacancies and not new hires or raises.

Prior to voting on the salary, the board met in executive session for approximately 40 minutes with Combs for salary negotiations.

Ward 6 Alderman Dan Dillard emphasized the additional compensation was only until Sept. 30, and the new mayor and aldermen, who will take office July 1, will handle hiring a permanent director.

Ward 1 Alderwoman Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis said after the meeting setting the deadline for Sept. 30 will align it with the end of the fiscal year and also allow time for the new administration to get stabilized.

The board officially received the applications for members of the Natchez Convention Promotion Commission at the meeting. The aldermen asked for the resignations of the previous commissioners at the same time Kirby was terminated.

Fortenbery made a motion to take the applications under advisement because City Attorney Hyde Carby was not present to advise the aldermen during any discussion that would happen regarding the applications.

Combs told the board during the meeting she thinks it is important that prior to the appointments, which aldermen have said will likely be interim until a new administration takes office, the potential commissioners and the community be offered clarity on the roles and responsibilities of the NCPC as well as the tourism marketing commission.

“I think there’s a lot of confusion (about) what that board does,” she said. “I think it is important that we all as well as the community understand this going forward.”

In light of a planned audit by the state auditor’s office, Combs said she also thinks it is important to determine how the accounting practices of the CVB can be best handled. Combs said business and facility management roles should also be considered and clarified.

NCPC commissioners, Combs said, receive informational books upon appointment. Combs said she understood the previous commissioners still had their books as well as commission meeting minute books and the recorder used at the commission’s meetings. She asked the aldermen to ensure those were returned.

Arceneaux-Mathis said the aldermen would turn that matter over to the city attorney.

Arceneaux-Mathis suggested the aldermen also attend any training or orientation for the new commissioners.

“It’s hard to deal with a situation you have not been trained on,” she said.

Those who officially applied for a spot on the commission include:

-Donna Ball, an account manager for First Natchez Radio Group and former owner of Pearl Street Pasta.

-Mike Blattner, a retired businessman who owns antebellum Cherokee and serves as chairman of the board of Trinity Episcopal School.

-Stratton Bull, a local attorney who serves on the Natchez Planning Commission and is chairman of the Natchez Tricentennial Commission.

-Rhonda Clifton, a field agent manager for Medical Air Services Association.

-JaRita Frazier-King, a nutrition teacher at Alcorn State University.

-Lance Harris, the site director for Grand Village of the Natchez Indians.

-Patricia Lozon, general manager of Hampton Inn and Suites.

-Katie McCabe, the office manager for financial planner Forrest Johnson and marketing and public relations chairwoman for Natchez Festival of Music.

-Katie McCarstle, owner of Katie’s Ladies.

-Nancy Reuther, owner and manager of Monmouth Historic Inn and wife of New Orleans hotelier Warren Reuther, whose company manages the Natchez Convention Center and Grand Hotel.

-Margaret Robison, former chairwoman of the McComb Public Schools School Board.

-Shelley Rogers, the director of operations at Dunleith Historic Inn.

-Brittany Smith, the director of sales at Natchez Grand Hotel.

-Paul Wade, a web technologist who owns Starling’s Rest Bed and Breakfast.

Andrea Cater previously applied for a position but has since withdrawn her application.