A 3 percent trim in Natchez city department budgets — including possible cuts in personnel — is still under consideration by city officials.

&uot;Nothing has been cast in stone yet,&uot; said City Clerk Donnie Holloway.

Mayor F.L. &uot;Hank&uot; Smith said he asked the city’s department heads to submit a proposal by last Friday explaining how a budget cut would affect their departments.

&uot;We just want to look and see what’s going to be affected,&uot; Holloway said.

The aldermen were given copies of the department heads’ proposals at the board meeting Tuesday night, Holloway said.

Having just returned from city business trips to Washington, D.C., and North Carolina, Smith said he has not had an opportunity to closely review the department heads’ proposals.

Holloway said he, too, had just returned from a training session in Jackson and has only &uot;glanced&uot; at the reports.

&uot;We’ll probably have a meeting next week,&uot; he said.

Both Smith and Holloway said it is still unclear whether city employees will be affected by the cuts, but the department heads’ reports should give them a better idea.

&uot;I cannot answer whether or not it will affect personnel,&uot; Smith said. &uot;I don’t know until I look at the reports from the department heads.&uot;

&uot;It has not been ruled out,&uot; he said.

Holloway said he has already instituted the three percent cuts in the clerk’s office without cutting personnel and hopes the same can be done with the other departments.

Smith announced the possible budget cuts and placed a moratorium on hiring of city employees late last month.