Johnson City planning to continue as usual after losing half of planning staff

Despite half of Johnson City's planning team turning in resignations over the past two months, the city's planning division will still "maintain day-to-day operations," a spokesperson confirmed Wednesday. Since June, a city planner, development coordinator and the planning manager have all resigned from their posts, according to emails obtained by the Johnson City Press in a public records request. The city has already filled one position on the six-person team and is still seeking a planner and planning director. "The planning director position has been posted and interviews are actively taking place. The goal is for the new planning director to hire the new planner," city spokesperson Keisha Shoun wrote in an email. Planning Manager Whitney Hodges spoke to members of the planning commission during an executive committee meeting Tuesday afternoon. Hodges, whose last day with the city is Tuesday, said the three back-to-back resignations were nothing more than coincidence. "We all had different life things going on and they just all happened to collide at the same time," Hodges said. "It is a really hard decision because this is a place I love dearly," Hodges said. "I love who I work with, I love the public, I have loved everything that I've gotten to do, but I had an opportunity to do something that really brings my heart some joy. So I'm going to go do that." Hodges said she accepted a position working on long-form community planning projects for Hill Studio, a private consulting firm based in Roanoke, Va. At a previous public meeting, former development coordinator Riley Pudney also said she was leaving for a new job opportunity. "When I took the role as planning manager, I always wanted to leave Johnson City better than I found it, and I hope that I am," Hodges said. "But I know that the timing makes that really hard." Hodges led the planning department for the past year, following four years of consulting work for the city surrounding its Horizon 2045 plan. She said she has high hopes for her remaining team despite being short-staffed. "I think that we are all at a really great place, and I know that it's kind of fragile, because we are short staffed," Hodges said. When a planning commissioner asked whether a transition plan was in place for new leadership and staff, Hodges said she didn't know. "I don't really know that there is too much of a transition plan," Hodges said. Later during the meeting, Hodges said work to refine subdivision regulations may be on hold for a while, but the city spokesperson said this work will be taken on by the newly-hired development coordinator. Several members of the planning commission gave Hodges a farewell gift and thanked her for her years of dedication to the city's planning projects. "Through it all, you've remained professional, patient and committed to finding the best, best path forward," longtime planning commissioner Chris Dagenhart said. "For all of these reasons, and for your dedication, integrity, and partnership we simply want to say thank you."