Sunday, September 30, 2007

I Decided to Come Back!

It was a tough decision because Vienna is a very cool place, but I decided I had to come home to Natchez. While I was gone, I did keep up by reading the Natchez Democrat online. And quite a lot happened while I was gone!

The best news by far is that Binky is gone. Eddie Walker was easily elected Circuit Clerk in the runoff election. I know Eddie pretty well, and he will do an excellent job. Of course, he will walk into a huge mess when he takes office, but I have confidence that he will straighten it out as soon as possible.

The City is up to its usual shenanigans. Right before I left, there was some concern about the City having enough money to get through the fiscal year. (The City's fiscal year goes from October 1 through September 30.) About a week later and before they'd even passed the budget for the year beginning October 1, they approved a $15 million recreation complex! What were they thinking? As usual, they had no information - and of course, they never asked the public what they thought. A recreation complex might be a very good idea, but to do it without careful planning and public input is just reckless spending of your money. Supposedly this is a good political move in an election year. I sure hope the Natchez voters are too smart to fall for this irresponsible pandering.

I was very sad to see the Court of Appeals upheld the City's rezoning decision regarding Fat Mama's. It's troubling to have the State's highest court say it's okay for the City to force development on a neighborhood where 100% of the residents opposed it.

But on a more positive note, the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Board of Trustees voted unanimously to deny a permit to the developers of the condos at the old pecan factory site on the bluffs. Who knows what will happen next in this saga, but I loved the susequent editorial in the Democrat:

"Back in February, the City of Natchez, or more precisely, Mayor Phillip West, sent a clear message to the leaders of MDAH: Your authority doesn’t matter in Natchez. West ordered the former Natchez Pecan Shelling Company building bulldozed without the legally required permit from MDAH. What’s worse, he did so one day after speaking to the Historic Natchez Conference at which both MDAH
Executive Director Hank Holmes and MDAH Historic Preservation Division Director Ken P’Pool were listed as participants. What a slap in the face that was to the two men and the agency for which they work."
It goes on to say:
"But if West and the city aren’t careful, their cavalier attitudes toward the MDAH may continue to burn the city and future developments. What’s going to happen when the next city project needs approval of the MDAH?"
Exactly what lots of us said at the time.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Welcome home, Casey! I've missed your comments and look forward to your diligent observation and reporting.

Anonymous said...

For solid leadership be sure and vote for Sammy Cauthen and Joe Eidt for supervisor.

John Wesley Leek said...

Welcome back!

Even though much is already wrapped up in Natchez, we're going to have some exciting races regionally and statewide.

I'll be interested to see your perspective down in South-west MS.

Anonymous said...

Welcome back Casey! You and your
insightful comments were greatly missed.

Anonymous said...

Hooray!!!! You are back. I have not been able to keep up with the City Board meetings. I hope you will keep us informed as you have done in the past. I know that there has been a lot that has been going on at City Hall, the place of ill-repute.

Anonymous said...

I cannot believe that there is someone actually encouraging people to vote for Sammy Cauthen....isn't he the supervisor that went on the fact-finding trip that cost about $3000 to Hollywood? Isn't he also one of the ones who just voted against limiting supervisor travel expense funds? Name one thing that he has done that has benefitted ADAMS COUNTY. We have got to make changes in leadership, people!! Or else don't gripe about it being "business as usual"!!! Maybe you guys need to spend as much energy focusing on the Board of Supervisors as you do watchdogging the Aldermen. There's not much difference!

Anonymous said...

Casey, you will love this. I was at Subway last week and in walks Binky looking rather haggard. Get this: He was wearing a "re-elect Binky" shirt! You have probably heard that he did not have his audit papers ready...again.

Anonymous said...

Trust me you don't want Lazarus representing this county. Cauthen is rock solid.

Anonymous said...

Hmmmm...Riverat...looks like your numbers are a bit misleading.

I stumbled upon a copy of the actual travel voucher that Sammy submitted to the county for reimbusements from that trip you mentioned. It's right here:

http://www.sammycauthen.com/img/voucher.gif

Looks as if he paid the majority of the expenses right out of his own pocket (he mentions this right on his website).

Anonymous said...

I'm glad you're back since you seem to cover local news as well if not better than the Funnycrat, plus, you don't censure email comments as the Funnycrat does, if it doesn't allign with their views.

Anonymous said...

Riverat,

Perhaps you should do a little more research before posting false information. Not only does it make you appear ignorant, it weakens your already weak attack at Sammy Cauthen.

I was happy to see the PROOF (as provided by Anon 4:48) that Sammy did not spend the ridiculous figure you stated.

Plus, the paper reported about that vote you mention regarding limiting travel expense funds. Again, you misconstrued the facts (intentionally?).

Another supervisor has harped for ages that the travel expense account should be divided equally between all supervisors. While at first this seems logical, think again.

Why would you keep an effective supervisor from making a trip that could have a beneficial impact on the county, while you have some that have no interest in doing so. I guess it would make the non-travelers look good during their next campaigns to say "Look! I didn't spend all my travel money!". Big Deal! What did you do to encourage industry of any kind to locate here? It's not just going to fall into our laps, you know.