After interviewing two finalists, the Metroplan board chose one of its long-time members, Conway Mayor Tab Townsell, to become director of the planning agency, succeeding the retiring director Jim McKenzie.

The board also interviewed Andrew Gast-Bray from Indiana.

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The executive committee will work out terms of employment. Townsell is expected to finish his term as mayor, which ends this year, and assume the Metroplan job at the first of the year. 

McKenzie’s salary is about $152,000. Metroplan has said it would pay the next director up to $165,800

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Townsell has served on the Metroplan board since becoming Conway mayor in 1999.

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