NATCHEZ — The City of Natchez could have a new tourism director today.

The Natchez Board of Aldermen is set to interview the final two candidates for the position beginning at 9 a.m. today in the City Council Chambers.

Mayor Darryl Grennell said one of the candidates is local and one is from out of town. He declined to name the candidates.

The interviews, Grennell said, will likely be conducted behind closed doors in executive session. Grennell cited the personnel provision of the Open Meetings Act as allowing the interviews to happen out of the public eye.

The director position was left vacant after former director Kevin Kirby was terminated in April following ongoing personnel issues at the Natchez Convention and Visitors Bureau. The board of aldermen also asked for the resignations of the members of the Natchez Convention Promotion Commission.

Since then, the city has been re-evaluating the management of its tourism operations and has sought to rebuild its leadership.

The board recently appointed CPC commissioners, and the main remaining piece is to get a director in place.

Although Grennell suggested the aldermen allow the CPC to hire the director, the aldermen voted 4-1 at their Tuesday meeting to make the hire themselves.

The CPC is expected to attend the interviews today.

Grennell said he hopes the board will deliberate following the interviews and make a decision on the hire today.

“I’m hoping that we can go ahead on and get someone in place,” he said.