E

For the first time in 16 months, Decherd has a full-time city administrator.

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen unanimously approved during a special Tuesday meeting to hire former Franklin County resident Mary Aveni to fill the position that has been vacant since Rex Clark was fired in June 2022 in a controversial 3-2 vote.

The position had been filled in an interim capacity by Water Department Superintendent Eric Bradford.

However, Bradford resigned from the position in February, and the board followed through by calling on the Tennessee Municipal Technical Advisory Service to handle the process to fill the vacancy. In the meantime, Mayor Mary Nell Hess had been taking care of city-administrator duties.

Aveni is a 1980 Franklin County High School graduate who has a bachelor’s degree in banking and finance from the University of Mississippi.

She and husband Peter Aveni have been living in Villa Rica, Georgia, where they had moved to be closer to family.

Aveni brings experience to the city administrator’s position that includes being:

— A business analyst for the Clay County Sheriff’s Office in Green Cove Springs, Florida.

— The owner of Aveni Solutions in Fleming Island, Florida, which focused on data management and salesforce administration.

— Co-owner of PostNet Neighborhood Business Center in Orange Park, Florida, with her husband. The business specialized in printing, shipping and mailing services as well as handling other management and marketing procedures.

— A dealer services analyst for Ford Financial Services in Woodland Hills, California.

— A human resources project coordinator for Ford Financial Services in Franklin, Tennessee.

— A financial analyst for Primus, a division of Ford Credit, also in Franklin, Tennessee.

Hess said it is great to have someone with Aveni’s experience take over the position that has been in such great need of being filled.

Hess said that Aveni has the skillset to tackle the problems Decherd has been facing, and she will be able to “forge ahead and take care of it.”

Aveni said she became interested in the position while helping sister-in-law Christy Hanson with community events, including Decherd’s annual Potato Festival and Christmas Parade.

Aveni said the subject of Decherd needing to take a new direction surfaced during conversations, and she was asked about potentially applying for the city administrator’s position.

Aveni said she had decided her background would aid greatly in filling the city administrator’s role, and she decided to apply for it.

She said Decherd has its obstacles and hurdles that need to be addressed, but she looks forward to the challenge.

“This will be a nice change of pace, and I’m really excited about it,” Aveni said, referring to being city administrator. “I have a passion for Franklin County, and I want it and Decherd to flourish.”

When the board voted, Alderman Justin Stubblefield motioned to hire Aveni, and Alderman Larry Fraley seconded it. Hess and Alderman Glenn Summers also voted accordingly. New Alderman Shuler Hopkins was absent from the meeting due to having a prior commitment.