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Recreation needs coach, players
Published Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Where is former Natchez Mayor Hank Smith when we need him? Smith was often criticized during his term for things he couldn’t do, but one thing is certain: Smith and his team knew how to “play ball” with others.
Often criticized for being the antithesis of his predecessor Larry L. “Butch” Brown, Smith may have struggled at times under the enormity of running the City of Natchez.
But Smith and then-city attorney Walter Brown did something that neither Brown nor current Mayor Phillip West accomplished: Getting city, county and school district officials to agree recreation needs.
While Brown may have been in office when the original “beanfield” project was first planted, it was under Smith’s reign that the project began to take root.
All that was needed was for a measure to be put on the ballot to fund it. Yes, that means a countywide tax bond issue.
As much as we’d like to think the City of Natchez could just magically be able to pay for a $15 million facility alone, as Mayor West suggests. That’s a bit pie in the sky from our perspective.
We hope the city is correct and funds from the yet to be built casino at Roth Hill come through. But it would be foolish to hire a consultant to create an elaborate plan without fixed, concrete funding.
The time has come for the City of Natchez to stop charging ahead with ideas that sound good and resolve itself to play ball with the others on the playground — the county and the school district.
To residents, tax money is tax money and it certainly would be good if we could all agree to play on the same team. Just ask Coach Smith.
Comments
Posted by stateofnatchez (anonymous) on November 6, 2007 at 1:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"Where is former Natchez Mayor Hank Smith when we need him?"
--> I'll tell you where he is. He is sitting back in his easy chair thanking the good lord that he does not have to contend with the likes of our moronic city government.
One of the best precursors to philip west's history as mayor of Natchez is the MSNBC article they did while touring the cities along the MS river or something to that nature. His touting of a racial divide as justification for his very slim victory only sets the stage for a more ridiculous term in the upcoming years.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5676325/
History needs these particular instances of a failed and bias leadership to set a better foundation for the future of Natchez and other embittered regions of the deep south.
Posted by NtzMom55 (anonymous) on November 6, 2007 at 2:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
WELL SAID, stateofnatchez.
Folks, please get out and VOTE! VOTE!! VOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by firered (Elizabeth Geter) on November 6, 2007 at 8:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Ha can't say I blame him if he is sitting back thanking the Lord he's not dealing with our moronic city government anymore. So honestly who do you think will run against they mayor in the next election? I am not so sure anyone would want to get involved in the mess that is politics in Natchez...
Posted by letstellthetruth (anonymous) on November 6, 2007 at 8:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
One of the best precursors to to city of Natchez is it's
preservation of "RACISM." Phillp West respresents "progress" to a city that was labled in a national survey as being one of the l5th most racist places in The United States. While your critism our mayor is not surprising, considering where it is coming from, please know that everyone knows the truth. Why don't you take a look (it doesn't take a hard look) at our failing school system, and the administrators that are in charge? Isn't it funny that education in Natchez is not an issue, but "quality education" is the very foundation for any community to to thrive and progress. Oh, but the students at Trinity and ACCS are gettting a "quality education," and I need to remember that. So that explains why the administrators in the Natchez Public School system make "mega bucks" that are totally out of line with the the schools' ratngs and results. Let the people decide who they want to be their mayor. They did four years. As a citizen who was born and raised in Natchez, I know and everyone else knows why we bear the slogan: NATCHEZ, WHERE THE OLD SOUTH STILL LIVES.
Posted by hawk (anonymous) on November 6, 2007 at 9:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
WHY DO WE NEED ANOTHER REC AREA IN NATCHEZ TO BEGIN WITH? SO IT CAN BE DESTROYED LIKE THE OTHERS HAVE BEEN! WE NEED TO SPEND THIS MONEY ON CRIME THAT HAS GOTTEN WORSE IN THE CITY SINCE THE MAYOR HAS TAKEN OVER. HE TENDS TO BE ABOVE THE LAW LIKE THE MAYOR OF JACKSON. LETS HAVE GLEN LIPSEY MOVE TO NATCHEZ AND RUN FOR MAYOR AND HE WILL CLEAN UP THIS TOWN.
Posted by lambchop (anonymous) on November 6, 2007 at 9:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What we need, in my humble opinion, is one city/county government to run Natchez and Adams County as one unit - not two. We could combine duplicate offices, eliminate some of the wastefulness (there will always be some waste as there is in most businesses) and get some action. By the time city vs county gets through with the arguing and the payment of high incomes for all - there is nothing left but dissent. Would love to see a Tony Byrne nemesis or a George West SR type individual. We need a person who can lead, can negotiate, can influence, can find the funding and have follow through -- Is there someone out there wanting to run? Yep, there always is!
Posted by eagles (anonymous) on November 6, 2007 at 9:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Well said, lambchop.
Posted by firered (Elizabeth Geter) on November 6, 2007 at 10:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You are right lambchop thank you for putting that into perspective for me. Now hopefully someone will step up and run who is all of the things that you mentioned!
Posted by letstellthetruth (anonymous) on November 6, 2007 at 12:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well Hawk, funny how you compare the Mayor of Natchez to the Mayor of Jackson, both black men. WHY ISN'T BINKY VINES IN JAIL FOR STEALING PUBLIC MONEY RIGHT IN YOUR FACES? OH, I KEEP FORGETTING THAT HE IS WHITE, AND THE LAW ONLY APPLIES TO BLACK PEOPLE. Why don't you just solicit
David Duke to run for mayor. I'm sure his ideas and goals would fit better into your philosophy: PRESERVE RACISM AT ALL COSTS.
Posted by firered (Elizabeth Geter) on November 6, 2007 at 12:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
letstellthetruth, are you asking for an argument? That's what it seems to me! If so.. Grow up!
Posted by letstellthetruth (anonymous) on November 6, 2007 at 1:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
No, firered, just asking that people tell the truth. There is no argument, the proof is in the pudding.
Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on November 6, 2007 at 2:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Truth.
What is the truth?
Posted by hawk (anonymous) on November 6, 2007 at 3:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
letstellthetruth
first of all can you tell the truth? you are the one that compared color i did not. futher more its people like you that wont let racism dye. you are constantly starting trouble. no one is above the law no matter what color. you have a chip on your shoulder you need to remove and Binkey Vines how did he get involved in this comment. sounds to me like you have a problem with white folks.
Posted by kpage (anonymous) on November 6, 2007 at 8:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
letstellthetruth tells no truths. I'm still thinking, "Uh, WHAT?"
truthless tale teller
tale telling truthless
Posted by stateofnatchez (anonymous) on November 7, 2007 at 12:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
letstellthetruth....
---> You may be right. Natchez may well be the one of the most racist places in the US. I too have lived here almost all of my life and I have never seen "reverse-racism" so evident and blatent. I cannot count the instances of a simple act of kindness, such as opening a door for a black woman or even a black guy, and basically getting snubbed like I'm not even there. Now to be fair, this doesn't happen everytime for me, but I would say, in my own experience, I get this treatment from about 75% black and 25% white......and this is just a simple example of extending a courtesy. It's a cycle that exists through both races, so try not to be so blind and hypocritical.
---> And as far as education goes. I challenge ANYONE to show me how our public education system went in the crapper before 1989. It's quite obvious how combining the two high schools basically turned the system upside down. And who was one of the major architects of this debacle?? You guessed it, you're so called progressive mayor. And start researching his tenure as a state legislature and look into the bills he tried to push thru and then get back to me.
In retrospect, I must be very bored to spend the time to respond to your comment full of holes. I would say spend less time going off half cocked and more time researching the issues. And I would love to see the survey posting Natchez as one of the 15th most racist places, so please show us the link. I would love to understand how the survey was sampled and researched.
Posted by buttercup26 (anonymous) on November 8, 2007 at 10:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
(((letstellthetruth)))) law only goes for black folks huh??? then tell me how come the woman (black) on the other article is fixing to be walking around to do as she pleases by this coming weekend when she just MURDER HER LIVE IN PARTNER??? i don't think the law is workng there..
(((stateofnatchez))) i agree with some of what your saying, however it's crazy because the precentage of extended courtesy is completely opposite for me....
and combining the schools was not a good thing to do!! my .02 cents though!!
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on November 8, 2007 at 3:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Did anyone read Mr. Bowlins letter from yesterday? He suggests small parks and pools in several areas of town. Gee, do you think the kids could even walk or ride their bikes to them and get some excercise? I think he has a real winner of an idea. Then, each neighborhood could be responsible for their own area, and if it gets destroyed by vandels, they are the losers. Might make people more responsisble.
Posted by buttercup26 (anonymous) on November 8, 2007 at 6:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
(((freedom42)))) oh am i fixing to be BASHED HARD FOR THIS ONE... but i have to speak my .02 cents.. he suggest small parks and pools in several areas will these areas be 'equal' around the WHOLE TOWN? or just in certain parts of town... for ex. you see the 'play parks and basketball courts' down by FRAZIER prim. or in brodmoar but you don't see them parks in lets say neighbors across for Mclaruin and places like that.... right?
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on November 8, 2007 at 10:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
right buttercup, but what he proposes would, I think, be neighborhood parks and pools in various areas. I think this is the C. Bolin who was so involved in the Little League Baseball for years and years.
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