Although he was rumored to be considering a run, Adams County Supervisor Darryl Grennell said he will not seek the office of Natchez mayor.

With three weeks left before the qualifying deadline, that leaves Natchez Mayor L. &uot;Butch&uot; Brown unopposed for now.

Brown has said he will run again but has not yet qualified for the race.

Grennell, who has lived in Natchez all his life, said he decided not to run because he wants to focus on county government. &uot;I want to get the county where I want it to be,&uot; he said.

He also cited the amount of projects Natchez’s mayor and aldermen have on their plate — and his concern over how the city will pay for them.

&uot;There’s a lot going on in the city right now,&uot; Grennell said. &uot;I’m not sure how they’re going to pay for all that.&uot;

Over the last year, the city has announced plans to build a $12 million convention center complex, including a downtown convention center, which is being funded through a bond issue.

In recent weeks, city officials have said they hope to build more recreation facilities in Natchez, from a $150,000 water spray park at North Natchez Park to a $16 million sports complex next to Natchez High School. The water park would be funded by a Community Development Block Grant, if the city receives it. But it is unclear what funding is available for the sports complex, which could be years in the making.

Grennell, a biology professor at Alcorn State University, said he has not ruled out the possibility that he would run for city office in the future.

Brown, who has served two terms, said he hopes he can run unopposed.

He said it would &uot;send a message&uot; to him that people in the city are satisfied with the job he is doing.

The deadline to qualify for office is March 31. The first primary is May 2, the runoff is May 16 and the general election is June 6.