&uot;Non-stop&uot; is how Mayor F.L. &uot;Hank&uot; Smith describes his first full week in office. Smith said he has been meeting with department heads, asking them to update him on the city’s on-going business, as well as provide background on current issues. &uot;My time has been totally taken up with meetings,&uot; he said.

City Clerk Donnie Holloway has required all department heads to submit their budgets by July 17. Smith said he has asked for two budgets: a proposed budget and one with a 10 percent reduction. Smith said he wants to know from the department heads, &uot;If they had to go to that 10 percent reduction, what would the repercussions be?&uot; Smith said he is only &uot;exploring the options&uot; at this time.

Between meetings, Smith said he had an opportunity to meet with Gov. Ronnie Musgrove last week.

&uot;I just wanted to remind him that we’re here,&uot; Smith said. Smith said he asked the governor to consider placing a local economic development authority bill in the Legislature’s special session to take place this year.

The Natchez-Adams EDA is operating without a director, and the Natchez Board of Aldermen and the Adams County Board of Supervisors have failed to come to an agreement as to how the EDA should be structured.

The governor gave it a &uot;one-in-five chance&uot; of inclusion, but Musgrove does have &uot;some of the same thoughts on economic development,&uot; Smith said.

The recent announcement by International Paper concerning plans to sell the Natchez mill has not gone unnoticed by Smith. Speaking to rumors of a possible buyer, Smith said Plant Manager Steve Olsen did not indicate that to be true. Like many citizens and plant employees, Smith said the announcement was not a surprise.

&uot;Maybe they think the timing is right to sell,&uot; Smith said.

Taking a cue from former Mayor Larry L. &uot;Butch&uot; Brown, who required all department heads to bring in at least one grant a year and host a convention of the peers in Natchez, Smith said he has added one more requirement.

&uot;They have to keep their ears open at all times for any hint of economic development,&uot; Smith said. &uot;I want them all to be executive directors to a certain extent,&uot; referring to the responsibilities of an EDA&160;director.

While economic development is a campaign issue Smith continues to stress, he has decided to go along with the board of aldermen’s plans for a convention center.

&uot;The convention center is on go from how it is planned to where it is planned,&uot; Smith said.

Smith said he is pleased the board is considering reactivating the Downtown Parking Authority, especially with the added congestion a convention center will bring.

&uot;I commend Alderman West for making the recommendation,&uot; he said. In its Tuesday meeting, the board voted to refer discussion of the authority to the next meeting, on July 25. Commissioned in the early ’80s, the authority has been inactive for several years.