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photo by Marcus Frazier
Madison Police Lt. Patrick Lloyd, Madison citizen Jamie Jarvis and Jim Butler, husband of the mayor of Madison have a laugh before dinner at Monmouth Plantation Saturday evening.
National mayors pay visit to area
Published Sunday, November 11, 2007
NATCHEZ — Ten mayors from across the country dropped in for a visit to Natchez Saturday. The visitors were all from cities picked by a recent Family Circle rating as the best cities in which to raise a family.
Madison made the list, and Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler invited the mayors to a summit in her town. After workshops Friday and Saturday, the group made the two-hour trip to Natchez.
“I love Natchez,” Butler said as the group sat down to dinner at Monmouth Plantation. “It’s really special.”
The history and beauty of the town has always had a place in her heart, Butler said. So, she wanted to introduce her colleagues to the town.
“Since seven out of the nine other mayors have never been to Mississippi, I thought to really experience the true South and its hospitality, was to come to Natchez,” she said.
Randy Reed, mayor of Castle Rock, Colo., admired the city’s history.
“Being from Colorado, our heritage is a more Western history,” Reed said. “This town is steeped in history, when the nation was formed.”
Most said they had already learned a lot from the workshops and interacting with other mayors.
Scott Mitchell, mayor of Cedar Park, Texas, brought up a point one of the mayors made in a workshop.
“In some ways, our towns are very different, but not in all ways,” Mitchell said. “Even though we are all different, we all face similar challenges. We are more alike than we are different.”
The mayors planned to see the Angels on the Bluffs performance at the city cemetery, then tour Natchez Sunday.
The towns that made the list were Castle Rock, Colo., Diamond Bar, Calif., Morton Grove, Ill., Cedar Park, Texas, Derby, Kans., Kennesaw, Ga., Cooper City, Fla., Madison, Franklin, Mass. and Chanhassen, Minn.
Comments
Posted by NtzMom55 (anonymous) on November 11, 2007 at 2:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
So was Mayor West present? If so, did he listen to his collegues speak or did he just run his mouth? I wonder how much the tax payers paid for the dinner at Monmouth Plantation?
Posted by destiny (anonymous) on November 11, 2007 at 6:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
A LOT!!! Probably more than I earned in a month when I was working.
Posted by sista (anonymous) on November 11, 2007 at 7:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
huh,where was Natchez honorable mayor? or need I say???
Posted by ntzmom (anonymous) on November 11, 2007 at 7:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe some of their advice will be taken.
THANK YOU Mary for showing Natchez to your colleges!
Posted by timnoklahoma (anonymous) on November 11, 2007 at 7:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Madison is a very nice (and expensive) place to live. It is just north of Ridgeland, and Mary is one of the best things that ever happened to that city. She has been the backbone there since before I left Ridgeland in 1998!!!
It is really a city on the move...and that way is nothing but up.
West should take some hints from the mayors that visited your city, but like was mentioned, I bet he was not even there....what a shame for Natchez!
Posted by supermom (anonymous) on November 11, 2007 at 7:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
How great for the Mayor of Madison to show off our beautiful hometown!!!!!!! Thank you Mayor Butler!
Posted by buttercup26 (anonymous) on November 11, 2007 at 8:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
it would've been nice if natchez mayor was there!! i bet they could've consulted him and wouldn't of handed him a $100,000.00 bill!!! gezz!! i'm glad they had a nice time.. and ENJOYED THE FOOD AT THE Monmouth Plantation... i sure couldn't afford that!! :)
Posted by frogprincenessntz (anonymous) on November 11, 2007 at 10:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The meal is very expensive, by my standards, but the taxes paid on it supports my city, county, and state. The room rate there is also very high. Then again, we get the tax dollars. They are not taxed at 7% like regular sales, but at the much higher hotel/restaurant rate. This is really tourism working to support our city.
If each of these mayors tell just five people in their circle about Natchez and its attractions, this could bring many dollars into our city coffers. Lots of people on this forum want to knock tourism, but it has kept the lights on in our city through all the slim times when industry has left us high and dry. It will continue to do so, but it needs all the residents to get behind it, just like Mayor Mary! Thank you so much.
Monmouth Plantation is out of my league, but it is the type of place movers and shakers are looking for. They are the ones who have the money to place industry here. It is up to all of us to get the word out about the many things there are here to see. It is amazing that we still have hundreds of "antebellum" structures in our county(that means they were built before the Civil War). Instead of waiting on our "esteemed" elected officials to bring in industry, we can encourage people to visit. The more visitors, the more the word gets out, they more chance we have of attracting businesses.
FYI. My daughter has had the meal at the Monmouth Plantation and says it is well worth the money!
Posted by peacerulz (anonymous) on November 11, 2007 at 11:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wonder if Roosevelt is still there. It's so embarrasing the way they have waiters there that behave like they are SLAVES. No kidding. Has anyone seen this? Sure the food is great but this practice of having them treat you like you are their master is ridiculous and looks bad.
Posted by luv2travel (anonymous) on November 11, 2007 at 12:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Allt he slim times as you call it frog was due to /natchez not being able to get industries in here....
Frog people know what ANTEBELLUM means FYI
As far as Mayor Butler Hawkins whatever she is being called these days....If you want a town that only the rich can live in shes your lady.....Has anyone saw what she made the wal mart there and what type of line of clothing they have to carry to be in Madison??? Good thing her husband isn't Mayor huh??? Look at the old lady that he beat her out of her land due to her not taking it off of the records..
Posted by frogprincenessntz (anonymous) on November 11, 2007 at 2:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am sorry if I offended you luv2travel. I worked in the tourism industry and if I had a nickel for every time I have been asked what that word meant...
International Paper Co. did not close the plant here because of the tourism people. There were even tax breaks voted on for them to stay. The global economy had a lot to do with them leaving. The tire plant did not want to pay union wages and benefits. In my opinion, they imploded, but not before taking Natchez for a ride thanks to our elected officials. I do think the little blue haired ladies had something to do with the railroad not crossing the river at Natchez, and with the eventual decline of rail service in Natchez. In the comments section, recently, you were able to read one of them who said they were thankful to no longer hear the trains or smell the paper mill, but she is by no means indicative of the whole group!
One of the largest detractors for industries in our area is a well educated and trainable work force. We have third and fourth generation welfare families here. They are making no strides toward ending their sit-on-their-butts lifestyle and training their kids to accept the same. That indicates a problem area that most CEOs do not want to have to deal with, and is one of the real reasons industry declines the invitation to come to Natchez.
Every week on this blog, you read the ones who say they hate Natchez. Natchez did not do anything for them. Did not give them everything they needed. Did not give them everything they thought they were owed! I grew up in Natchez and the surrounding area. My father had a fifth grade education and we were very poor. We were not allowed to live on hand-outs, but lots of do withouts. We were taught if you want to get ahead, get an education and be prepared to work for everything you get. He trained us by working constantly and always trying to better himself by learning new things. He succeeded and so did we. Whining was not acceptable!
Posted by noneya (anonymous) on November 11, 2007 at 5:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
frog, you are so right, but its sad how....THEY DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT because its true.
Posted by luv2travel (anonymous) on November 11, 2007 at 6:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You have a SMART daddy frog....To bad eveyone isn't raised that way.....
You know as far as the welfare people... I think it should be mandatory that if u don't work you sure get no help...That's what it is suppose to be is HELP not full support....Then when it comes tax time i think they should have to file taxes on it..Why not? It is income...If i work and get as much as they do on welfare i have to file taxes so why shouldn't they???
To have an industry you have to have people to WANT to work i agree with that...You know what if they don't work DO NOT give them a FREE RIDE!!!!
Posted by supermom (anonymous) on November 11, 2007 at 10:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Amen Frog! As noneya said... they don't want to hear it. You can't please all the people, all the time. Heck, there are some you'll NEVER please!!!!
Posted by hawk (anonymous) on November 12, 2007 at 9:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
THEY AT LEAST NEED TO PASS A DRUG TEST. If this would happen it would be alot of people not recieving any welfare i can promise you that. Can some one answer this question how can you be on welfare and drive around town in a 50,000 dollar vehicle?
Posted by destiny (anonymous) on November 12, 2007 at 10:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Enjoyed all the comments and may I add my own. I worked in a business where I was fortunate enough to speak to many people. When the paper mill began it's closing, I spoke with some of the head honchos and asked why? I was told that too many people wanted too much for the little work they did in the Natchez area. Most of them were of the same family or had tight family ties from one generation to another. They said the firing of all and rehiring would not be beneficial for the company and after much deliberation (a couple of years) of weighing facts and figures the out-pouring of salaries was causing the plants closing. They decided by paying early retirement to many was the best way to go for the company. Again there's the element of the state sponsored 'WELFARE' and 'FOOD STAMP PROGRAM' was to enticing for too many people in the area. Families that have lived on this system for 2, 3, and 4 generations see no reason to work for their 'bread'. Why should they? It's a GOD SEND when you need it, but far too many citizen's have made it a way of life and it has got to stop. There is really no work force here in Natchez to pull from. Our civic leaders have taken care of that. Natchez is for the rich people only, and doing whatever they can to rid itself of the poor white trash, as they see it. How can we expect industries to come to such a place? If industries move in, so will more 'white trash' move in to do the work. Natchez does not want that b/c it will make too much of a change for the betterment of all us 'white trashy' people that have to work for a living. And I must go a step further, just because we workers are not into the 'antebellum stuff' does not mean we do not appreciate it. I have, myself, many, many times paid the way for my visitors to see the old Natchez and watched their faces as they explored this home or that home. It is a good program, but it has got to move over and let the future of Natchez come to life for our next generation.
Posted by noneya (anonymous) on November 12, 2007 at 11:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
also Destiny, I think people would be shocked at how few people could pass a drug test, if given before employment.
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