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Natchez needs to be mindful of the little things
Published Sunday, October 7, 2007
Several years ago author Robert Fulghum penned a book titled “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.”
The book was a huge hit for its ultimate in boiled-down wisdom. Lessons such as share everything, hold hands and stick together resonated with people from all walks of life.
Only looking at kindergarten lessons may get you through most of the big things in life, but a few other lessons, from junior high science class can also teach us volumes.
Remember when you first heard the notion of “germs?” If you’re like me, you probably can’t. Mothers have a way of bolstering the lowly germ to heights of greatness.
The germ became the great invisible evildoer of childhood.
Then, eventually, as the science lessons came, germs and other tiny things came into focus.
First off, not all of the little creatures are bad. Some are; some aren’t.
But the lesson in there is: “Little things in life can help you or they can hurt you.”
Those science lab lessons apply to cities and their citizens, too.
More than a decade ago Natchez city leaders realized the lesson when they began working on the city’s sign ordinance and other historic preservation regulations.
Such laws seemed trivial to some residents. Why does it matter if I put up a huge sign in front of my business? It’s my property so I should be able to do what I please on it.
The leaders, however, realized the importance of two lessons — one from kindergarten and one from junior high biology.
First, the biology lesson: like germs, the city leaders realized that the little things were important. Huge, ugly signs all over an historic city are not appealing to out-of-town visitors.
The more difficult lesson for some to swallow came from kindergarten: We’re safer if we stick together.
Having a city that acts like 400 different individuals, each doing his thing, isn’t the best option for attracting tourists to town.
Having a city with 400 people, sharing the common vision for how to present the city’s beauty in a common, unified fashion, is a much better option.
City leaders put into law a system for taking down a number of overhead billboards.
Unfortunately no one has enforced those laws much recently, so the billboards remain.
In fact, tiny “germs” of violations pop up fairly regularly around town.
That’s kind of sad when you think about it. All of the good, hard work of the board of aldermen is slowly being worn away.
Policing signs was a good faith effort with good intentions. But those intentions will continue to fall through the cracks unless someone begins enforcement soon.
The same kind of good intent occurred several years ago when the City of Natchez decided to take responsibility for maintaining the medians along the state and federal highways within the city limits. Previously, the Mississippi Department of Transportation had mowed the grass between the strips of asphalt and concrete.
The city, it thought at the time, could do a better job in keeping the grass cut and looking pretty for residents and visitors alike. And they did do a better job for a while.
Now, it appears, they’re contracting it out to a third party as I saw a crew in an unmarked — neither City of Natchez or MDOT — vehicle cutting the grass along John R. Junkin Drive the other day.
The cutting was needed, but grass was still left overflowing the median, over the concrete curb and creeping into the edge of the roadway.
Again, it’s a little thing, but as your science teacher — and Louis Pasteur taught us all, little things can — and do — hurt you.
Kevin Cooper is publisher of The Natchez Democrat. He can be reached at 601-445-3539 or kevin.cooper@natchezdemocrat.com.
Comments
Posted by destiny (anonymous) on October 7, 2007 at 9:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Very good article Kevin, and I, like you, have noticed in the past how the city maintains it's promise for so long and then down the tube goes all these promises. In my travels, there would be some districts where you could not find your way around for all the confusing over abundance of signs along my route. I've notice they are beginning to 'creep' back into the mainstream of our fair city and that should not be allowed. It only takes a moment to call in the violation to the right party. And if at first you don't succeed, keep at it until you do. Also with the new entrance into the city the street medians need faithful care and maintance which the city has in the past allowed to slip. Lets hope they do better in the future. Our new entryway was a great gift to us, lets not let it be in vain.
Posted by missntz (anonymous) on October 7, 2007 at 11:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank you for that article. It seems the mayor has always got his own agenda. Why not beautification?? Is he more concerned with making his mark than doing what the great city of Natchez hired him to do? I love Natchez and most of that is because of its uncomprimising beauty. That IS the reason people love to visit. Not because there could be a health hazard stemming from an old pecan factory. That was a piece of history - and another story....
Mayor and business owners - look around. The same people you want to frequent your business are the same that take so much pride in our city. Thanks again, Kevin, for a great article - maybe some will pay attention to it!
Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on October 7, 2007 at 12:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
At least a visitor did not see two standing around watching one work!
Posted by CitizenSane (anonymous) on October 7, 2007 at 5:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Yes, good point Mr. Cooper.
You wanna see some tall grass? Check out the Pecan Factory lot. It's a mess. I don't know who is supposed to be keeping that up.
Until we get a functioning city government, maybe the only way to keep Natchez clean is for citizens to do it themselves. Maybe like adopt a highway type programs?
I read in the Democrat not too long ago that some citizens recently got a $5000 grant from somewhere to clean up and beautify the bluff.
A few years ago, there was a series of meetings called "Vision Natchez" that a lot of people attended. They decided that the number one thing to tackle (something everyone could come together on) was to clean up the city. So they divided into groups and they did it. They cleaned up Natchez.
So, maybe that's what it will take. Volunteer citizens, trying to keep it clean. Until we get new leadership who can spend our tax dollars effectively.
Posted by NtzMom55 (anonymous) on October 7, 2007 at 10:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Natchez has the potential of being a very beautiful small city. Its geat architecture is already present. But it is a disgrace to have the small details (mainly in upkeep) neglected. The great things bring people to Natchez but it is the little things that keep them coming back. Natchez is like a well dressed little lady in all her lace and Sunday finest but she has a huge zit, ready to pop, on her nose. Sounds grose dosn't it? Well, Mr. Mayor and the Aldermen, pop that zit by cleaning up the medians and make sure the unsightly signs are removed like they were supposed to be. I HATE ZITS!!!
Posted by ntz143 (anonymous) on October 7, 2007 at 10:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Kevin,
the properties next door to your building are in need of major yardwork.....maybe you could organize the Democrat employees to perform a community service day and clean it up for the Salvation Army. It is really an eyesore and distracts from your business.
Posted by Idefinitelymight (Tom Scarborough) on October 8, 2007 at 4:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Local residents could make a huge impact on the visual appeal of our city simply by not throwing trash out of their car windows! How hard can it be to hang on to your throwaway items until you get to a place where you can dispose of them properly. Residents of Maple Street, Brown Subdivision and Marblestone Alley--I'm calling you out in particular. The amount of garbage you throw on your neighbors' streets and in their yards is appalling. We're tired of it.
Posted by olderthandirt (anonymous) on October 8, 2007 at 10:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Has anyone noticed the high weeds/grass at Arlington? Hello, City of Natchez.Shame, shame.
Posted by roberth33 (anonymous) on October 8, 2007 at 10:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Why don't the Garden Clubs plant a Public Gardens at the Bluff? The bluff is basically Natchez' version of Central Park.
Garden Club ladies??? Where are you???
Posted by ChooseOrLose (anonymous) on October 8, 2007 at 1:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I know where there is a mountain of trash right in the middle of Natchez, not far from the Mall. Actually in the culvert directly across the street from K-Mart on John R. Junkin drive. I used to get so aggrivated, I kept calling the # the police dept. had given me but the guy who answered the phone always said he was going to have someone look into it. Eventually I moved and gave up. Some of the businesses in that shopping center on one side of it were throwing tons of trash in there. When that glass business was closing I heard them throwing old panels of glass into the culvert. It's almost like their personal landfill! It's really a lot of trash... I always wondered if rain was washing some of the trash downstream, I think that same culvert runs through a good bit of Natchez. I know that about this time of year, when the leaves start falling off the trees you can see down in there and it looks terrible.
Posted by callitasitis (anonymous) on October 8, 2007 at 5:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
A public garden at the bluff would be a wonderful idea. But, just try to get a few of those ladies to agree on what to plant and better yet, who are they going to name it after? They'll never agree. I live on the North side of town and have my yard cut and edged every week. Less than a day or two later, someone has always graced the yard with a quart beer bottle or an empty chicken box. Come on people, keep a trash bag in your car. Please don't forget the poor azaleas at Duncan Park. They are over grown and full of dead wood. Mayor, this is very much a part of your job. Keeping Natchez maintained and beautiful. Get off your duff and do something because sitting behind your desk and trying to look dignified isn't working. Talk to your public works people once in a while.
Posted by NtzMom55 (anonymous) on October 9, 2007 at 1:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Yes, one public works employee can chop a limb while three watch, all while the supervisor is sitting in his idling truck talking on the cell phone.
I post this question: How many city employees does it take to screw in a light bulb? The answer is simple. NONE, because the mayor prefers the city to remain in the dark so no one can see how messy it is!!!
Posted by kpage (anonymous) on October 9, 2007 at 9:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Now THERE'S the morning laugh I was looking for. You get a gold star, NtzMom! No one but you could have said it as truthfully.
Posted by mike8427 (anonymous) on October 9, 2007 at 10:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Good article and to the point, I have always wondered what happened to the sign ordinance. I have really noticed how cities such as Madison that have this ordinace enforced look so much nicer. Unfortunately is the trend of America today to not worry about appearances. Look at how people dress today, when was the last time you saw somebody take there hat off inside?
Posted by roberth33 (anonymous) on October 9, 2007 at 10:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Re Garden Club ladies: Why dont the 3 Garden clubs divide up the Bluff Park and create 3 gardens? I mean come on people, this is not rocket science.
We all hear plenty of talk. Where's the action?
Posted by observer (anonymous) on October 10, 2007 at 7:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Many years ago the Natchez Garden Club planted and maintained the plants on the bluffs, including the beautiful crape myrtles. Eventually the city took this over, and chopped the crape myrtles into bushes. Thankfully, someone taught them better and they are now the lovely trees they were intended to be.
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