NATCHEZ — The Natchez Board of Aldermen accepted the resignation Tuesday City Clerk Melissa Hawk.

Mayor Darryl Grennell announced the resignation of Hawk at a specially called meeting.

Hawk said she is returning to Georgia to attend to family matters.

Hawk was first appointed as interim city clerk in August and subsequently appointed as clerk.

When she first took over the clerk’s office, the city was approximately a year behind in reconciling all of its bank accounts.

Hawk said Tuesday the staff has one bank account left to reconcile.

Business licenses were 18 months behind when she was hired, and are now current, Hawk said.

Cemetery deeds were two years behind, and are now current, she said.

“That should give you some idea of the kind of person we are losing,” Grennell said.

Grennell said he was “terribly upset” by the news and said Hawk has been an asset to the city.

Hawk said her reason for leaving Natchez is entirely personal and has nothing to do with the City of Natchez, agreeing with Grennell’s assertion that “she loves her job.”

Hawk is the wife of Natchez-Adams County Airport Director Bob Hawk. Melissa Hawk said her husband would remain in Natchez.

The board of aldermen authorized Grennell to appoint an interim clerk until the city can hire a permanent clerk.

Grennell mentioned the possibility of appointing recently hired Assistant City Clerk Megan Edmonds as interim clerk, but did not officially make the appointment Tuesday.