Katie Abel. Photo obtained via YouTube.

As the special events coordinator, Katie Abel was involved in all of the city’s major events, from the Craft Beer Festival, to the Book Festival to the Decatur Beach Party.

But Abel, a Decatur native who began working for the city in 2010, recently left the position, according to city officials.

Assistant City Manager Lyn Menne, who oversees community and economic development for the city, said Abel found a job that offered more flexibility.

“Katie decided this summer that she wanted to have more time to spend with her family and located a part-time job that affords that opportunity,” Menne said. “The Special Events Coordinator position requires working a lot of weekends and attending a number of evening meetings.”

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One of Abel’s jobs was handling permits for television and movie crews filming in the city of Decatur.

Menne said the special events coordinator job has been posted internally, but will be advertised if the city can’t identify a qualified candidate.

“For now, we have a system in place to handle the logistics of the remaining events through the end of this calendar year,” Menne said. “(City spokesperson) Casie Yoder will be handling film permits.”

Abel wrote in her biography on the city’s Decatur Minute blog that she enjoyed working for the city.

“I love everything about working for the City and especially enjoy watching our City grow and thrive,” she wrote. “As the Special Events Coordinator, I am always looking for new and fresh ideas to bring to Decatur events.”