NATCHEZ &8212; After three months and a potential offer, Natchez is again looking for a city planner.

Grant Wilson, the applicant the board of aldermen chose to replace former city planner Andrew Smith, officially declined the offer Thursday.

Wilson works in California as a planning consultant.

He was the only applicant out of three the board interviewed with whom they were satisfied, Mayor Phillip West said Friday.

West said Wilson was offered more money at his present job and had another offer. West also guessed it was a significant move from California to Mississippi.

&8220;It&8217;s kind of back to the drawing board for us,&8221; West said.

This time, they may not advertise immediately. West said he wanted to focus on word-of-mouth to find a possible planner. Last time, the city advertised in leading trade publications.

In the meantime, West said he would suggest finding a consultant who could work with the city to advise them on a temporary basis.

During the application process, several applicants backed out before they reached the interview stage.

&8220;I think it probably has to do with supply and demand,&8221; West said.

&8220;Planners in most larger cities probably make more than they would in Natchez.&8221;

West said the city had set aside $45,000 for a salary, which was what the previous planner was paid. It was by no means a firm number, West said. Wilson, however, said nothing about the salary when he declined, he said.

It&8217;s not new to have applicants back out, West said.

&8220;Each time we have advertised for the position over the years, we had a number of people on paper who appear qualified who back out at the last minute,&8221; West said.

He also pointed out the city has had a number of planners over the past eight or 10 years.

&8220;It&8217;s been going on for a while,&8221; West said.

City Engineer David Gardner said he hoped the city would have a planner soon to help the various departments.

&8220;I was very disappointed we haven&8217;t got somebody yet,&8221; Gardner said. &8220;It&8217;s putting a strain on a lot of different people trying to pick up the slack.&8221;

Planning is critical to economic development, he said. Generally, the planning department is the first department a developer visits.

A temporary consultant &8220;is a good step, but it&8217;s still going to be a strain until we get that permanent position filled,&8221; he said.

Alderman Theodore &8220;Bubber&8221; West said did not know why applicants backed out, but he thought Natchez might be viewed as a steppingstone to bigger and better jobs.

&8220;We&8217;ve had some good and knowledgeable people in there,&8221; he said. &8220;I don&8217;t know if it takes a certain type of personality to live in Natchez, or maybe we&8217;re not paying enough, I&8217;m not sure.&8221;

West said he thought in the meantime, the planning department had done a good job.

Alderman Jake Middleton said in the 14 years he had been on the board, the city had probably had five planners.

&8220;It seems like two or three left for better jobs, which I understand,&8221; Middleton said. &8220;They don&8217;t seem to stay in one place very long. Natchez is such a unique town, you&8217;d think someone who had an interest in historic properties would be interested.&8221;

Middleton said being turned down after spending time interviewing people and making a selection was disappointing.

Historic Natchez Foundation Director Mimi Miller said the timing involved might have made it more difficult for the city to find a planner.

&8220;It&8217;s not the city&8217;s fault, but the timing with Andrew Smith&8217;s departure might have hurt,&8221; Miller said. &8220;People who have recently graduated have already found jobs and people don&8217;t want to move their kids out of school.&8221;

Miller said a city like Natchez would be very interesting to someone with a background in historic preservation, but a city planner was a difficult job.

&8220;It&8217;s a tough job to get people to do because there are a lot of night meetings, a lot for reports, a lot of confrontations, and it&8217;s not a profession where there are dozens of people to apply for it.&8221;

Personnel Director Patricia Gibson said she could not release Wilson&8217;s contact information without his permission.

Mayor Phillip West fired Smith in June after he said he received complaints about Smith&8217;s job performance from co-workers and the public.