MOULTRIE, Ga. — The Archway Project — a collaboration between the University of Georgia and local officials — turns 13 next year, and like many teenagers, it’s entering a time of change.

Whitney Costin, the third Archway professional since the project began in 2005, left earlier this year when a grant from the UGA College of Public Health expired. Four local entities — the city and county governments, the Hospital Authority and the Colquitt County Board of Education — had put $10,000 each into Archway each year, but the grant provided enough additional funds to make the professional’s position a full-time one and provided additional duties related to improvements in local health trends.

Roy Reeves, chairman of the Archway Project here, said UGA officials are interviewing candidates to replace Costin now, and a local board will interview the finalists from that round. He hopes they’ll have someone in place either Dec. 1 or Jan. 1.

But when that person comes on board, the position will be part-time, Reeves said, and all of his or her salary and expenses will come from the local money.

Reeves said the local board expects more money to be required to operate Archway, and they’re pursuing opportunities to make up the difference, but he said it’s too early to discuss what those are.

Even in the absence of a local director, Archway operated its High Potential Leaders program through volunteers, Reeves said, and it will continue HPL as well as the annual leadership summit with local elected officials, held each spring.

In addition, the Archway board has surveyed its partners — the city, county, Hospital Authority and school board — to identify opportunities and challenges the community faces that Archway may be able to help with.

“With that information we’re looking at several things for the new Archway professional to start off,” Reeves said, but he said it’s too early to discuss details about those too.

“Archway has been fantastic for our community for many years,” he said, “and we hope it will be for many years to come.”