NATCHEZ &045; Applications for the positions of personnel director and public works director have been narrowed down to eight for each position, Mayor Phillip West said Tuesday.

The city received about 80 applications between the two positions and had eliminated half of those as of last week due to qualifications.

&uot;Now the aldermen need to decide where we go from here to narrow that down to the final one&uot; for each position, West said after Tuesday’s Board of Aldermen meeting.

As of Tuesday, there was no set timeline for narrowing the field down further.

Aldermen were scheduled to meet sometime this week on the applications, but the time of that meeting had not been finalized as of the board meeting.

Longtime Personnel Director Kay Patt retired at the end of December. Interim Public Works Director Reggie Carter, who took over that position after former Director Richard Burke retired June 30, is due to retire himself in March.

With city officials busy filling those two positions, a timeline has not yet been set for finding a city planner. Former Planner Bob Jackson resigned as of Feb. 2 to move back to Arizona.

&uot;But obviously we want to get something done as soon as possible&uot; to fill all three positions, West said.

Alderman Theodore &uot;Bubber&uot; West, who chairs the board’s Personnel Committee, could not be reached for comment.