Print this story |
E-mail story |
This story has 6 comments Add your own |
iPod friendly | Bookmark this
What is this?
Do NDDA, EDA, others have a home?
Published Friday, November 20, 2009
With a few balls up in the air, it’s time Natchez take a few minutes to call a play.
The Natchez Downtown Development Authority got a new — yet short — life Wednesday when the Economic Development Authority agreed to fund half its budget.
The EDA, however, is breathing via its own short lifeline, with no promise of future funding from the Adams County Board of Supervisors or the City of Natchez.
Both the EDA and NDDA are needed when properly managed. But maybe it’s time to play team ball.
The city, which recently cut the NDDA funding, said the mission of downtown development fits under economic development.
That’s a good point to consider.
But can we go a step further?
What if NDDA, the EDA, the Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Chamber all begin sharing one umbrella?
All four agencies have the same baseline goal — promote Natchez, bring people and business to town.
It’s time that key players in all these agencies sit at the table and consider the pros and cons of becoming one group with several subcommittees.
The Natchez-Adams County Chamber of Commerce already has a tourism council. There’s no reason the Chamber couldn’t play a stronger role in economic development or have an NDDA committee. The goal would be more than simply piling more work onto the chamber, but lowering the overhead required for all the various groups right now.
Combining forces could save the businesses involved from paying dues to multiple organizations, and it provides a cushion when city and county budget cut time comes around.
If we don’t do something soon, the balls may come crashing down with no one ready to catch them.
Comments
Posted by OldGrandDad (anonymous) on November 21, 2009 at 4:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
DEB, this is really like suggesting that we merge hospitals. And merging all dental care into the same office. All local publications could be merged into one and then we would only have one bill to pay for advertisement. The truth is, all of the organizations that you mentioned were established to accomplish particular goals that folks felt were necessary. They were created to fill perceived vacuums. Could they now be squashed down into one entity; like beating a square peg into a round hole? Who knows. Is it really worth the effort?
Posted by OldGrandDad (anonymous) on November 21, 2009 at 12:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
grungebob, concerning --> "EDA and NDDA may simply wither away from lack of funding thereby"
I guess that is entirely possible. We'll have to wait and see. But I'm not too much concerned about these organizations overlapping in areas. If competition is good for free enterprise then it should be good for these folks too. When it comes to tourism and downtown, far far too little has been done as of yet. Will more get done by consolidating these organizations? Somehow, I doubt it.
You been to downtown Vicksburg lately? They have public parking and public restrooms. And they have good signs pointing folks where to go. Just like Natchitoches. And just like countless other towns courting tourist dollars. Its time for us to get our downtown tourism basics accomplished. I'd rather see these folks compete on some projects. Consolidate them and I'll bet we'll get more years of the same nothing.
Posted by OldGrandDad (anonymous) on November 21, 2009 at 1:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The restrooms ain't for me. They are for all the downtown shop owners that have had their business restrooms abused by tourists. Most small businesses put in facilities that are only minimal for themselves. What they put in doesn't hold up to the heavy repetitive use of strangers.
That's the reason I mention it. But also because it truly irks me when folks call us a "tourist town" and we do not have such basic stuff.
Posted by Continental_Line (anonymous) on November 21, 2009 at 2:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Bladder control ? Natchez restrooms ?
Very simple.
Two options:
#1 According to former Mayoral candidate "Pulley Bones", go to the world's largest restroom facility, { AKA: the Visitor Reception Center}
FINE restrooms ! Very Clean ! If the door will open.
#2 Flomax - older men can drive up and down the trace all day without having to pee. Just remember, the side effects can be ugly.
Posted by NatchezBooster (anonymous) on November 21, 2009 at 5 p.m. (Suggest removal)
All good points grungebob, OGD, but what about the lack of a director for EDA--something that's not mentioned in the editorial, but should be? How long has it been since Jeff Rowell left? Who's been minding the store for EDA since then? I called EDA and got nothing but a message machine for weeks. How's that look / sound to potential business that might be crazy enough to try to contact us?
I agree about the public restrooms etc., but then again that's something that the city would end up letting decay like all other city properties--unless of course Mayor Most Popular would come out of hiding and scrub the pots once a week.
I don't see that happening. So I guess its the Flonomo or Depends for me....
Posted by OldGrandDad (anonymous) on November 21, 2009 at 5:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
NatchezBooster, I heard the same thing about EDA. I figure they are walking the Appalachian Trail with Jake and that's why no answer on the phone.
I've come to have ZERO confidence in the City for tourism improvements. Its gonna take strong pushes from NDDA, EDA, the Chamber, the Convention and Visitors Bureau and any other organization or individual that will be able to exert some influence. We can't wait on the "city" anymore. They don't have a clue as to what we need to accomodate tourists in our downtown shopping area.
The suggestion for using restrooms at the Convention center is an obvious one. That problem would be solved with their official designation as such. But then we'd need the signs pointing to them. Signs, as mentioned before, ALL "tourist towns" have. Where are ours?
Post a comment (Terms of Use Policy)
(Requires free registration.)