NATCHEZ — The Mississippi attorney general’s opinion is in — well, sort of.

That opinion regarding the decision by the Adams County Board of Supervisors to withhold funding from the Natchez-Adams Economic Development Authority reportedly suggests the funding should be continued through the budget year.

But that news wasn’t in any written opinion from the attorney general’s office, because the supervisors never requested a formal opinion.

Board President Henry Watts would not return phone calls on the matter Thursday afternoon, but sent an e-mail to The Democrat about the attorney general’s opinion.

His e-mail says a person he calls a “staff person” at the attorney general’s office delivered an opinion via phone call Thursday.

Watts’ e-mail is printed here as it was sent:

“Contact was made to the Mississippi Attorney General’s office today. The staff person that answered our attorney’s question, said, “Although the Bill# 1847 has weak spots in the legislation, he suggested that the supervisors continue funding through the end of the budget year, that ends September 31, 2009. At that time, the supervisors can decide to either increase funding up to two mills, by raising property taxes, or decrease funding or stop funding altogether.” He asked, “hasn’t those things been discussed with the Mayor and Board of Aldermen at the August meetings.” The answer was, “we’ve never had an August meeting with the Mayor and Board of Aldermen that we know of or the EDA that we’re aware of.”

Since there has never been an August meeting with the Mayor and Board of Aldermen or the EDA and never a Board of Supervisor budget discussion of a “tax levy” in the 5 years I’ve been a supervisor, I  have always thought the constant annual amount of $175,000.00 going to the EDA was an appropriation set-a-side. I never knew it was a definitive millage, a tax on the taxpayers property, in order to fund the EDA.

I have already spoken to the Mayor and suggested that the Supervisors meet with his board the week after he returns from Washington, D.C. to discuss the EDA. He agreed!

This is my statement with NOTHING additional to follow!”

With the exception of the deletion of the salutation and signature and the correction of a misspelled word, Watts’ e-mail was not edited or altered.

The attorney general office’s Public Information Officer Jan Schaefer said, had a formal opinion been requested, a formal response would have been given.

Schaefer said since the supervisors didn’t seek a formal opinion, the information they got from the attorney general’s office is better classified as advice.

“But that doesn’t change the advice,” Schaefer said of a verbal response.

Written opinions from the attorney general’s office are public record.

Schaefer said since conversations between county officials and attorneys at the attorney general’s office are deemed attorney-client privilege, they cannot be discussed.

Board Attorney Bobby Cox would not release the name of the staff person assisting the county, saying only “Elmer Fudd” when asked for the name.

Wednesday, Watts said he and the board would follow any direction outlined in the attorney general’s opinion.

Supervisors Darryl Grennell, who voted against withholding funding from the EDA, said he spoke to Watts shortly after Watts spoke with the attorney general’s office.

Grennell also said he doesn’t know what the board’s next step will be.

“I really don’t know what’s going to happen,” he said. “But based on the legislation, (funding) should go back to the EDA.”

In Watts’ e-mail he also said he’s contacted Natchez Mayor Jake Middleton to set up a meeting with the Natchez Board of Aldermen to discuss the attorney general’s response.

Middleton said that meeting could be as early as Feb. 16.

And while Middleton said Watts didn’t notify him of the attorney general’s response, he also wants to see the funding replaced.

“If the AG suggests they should continue the funding, I think they should,” Middleton said.

Former City Attorney Walter Brown said he’s unaware of any joint August meeting that have happened since the EDA was formed by House Bill 1847.

That legislation mandates the county and city board meet each August to discuss funding.

The Natchez Democrat has requested a formal written opinion from the attorney general’s office on the matter.