After growing up in a Silas, Ala. — a small, southern town of close to 400 residents — Ryan Sellers is adjusting to “big city” life in Newton.
“This place is huge for me,” Sellers said. “In my hometown, we had one stop sign and maybe two mom and pop restaurants.
Sellers made his move to Newton last week after being hired as the City Planner, a position that was recently created.
The adjustment hasn’t been hard, he said. He has already found a new favorite restaurant — Back Alley Pizza.
“I read in a magazine that it was one of the best places to eat in the entire state,” Sellers said. “It was delicious.”
In his new position with the city, Sellers will work closely with the Newton Historic Preservation Commission and the Newton-North Newton Planning Commission, as well as the city’s engineering department.
The City Planner position opened up recently when the city cut an engineering inspector position. The roughly $35,000 per year position is funded through the city’s engineering budget — split between the general fund, water fund and sewer fund.
Sellers is the first person to hold the position for the City of Newton. A task, he said, he doesn’t take lightly.
(Read more: Newton Now)