What do you see in the crystal ball for Natchez and Adams County this year?

If you’re like most folks, the first thing on your mind is new jobs &045; which is apparently the first thing local leaders want.

Too bad it’s not that simple.

That doesn’t mean, of course, that attracting new industry is impossible.

City and county leaders have said they want to take a proactive approach toward &045; or, as alderman David Massey said, &uot;be bullish&uot; about &045; about economic development.

We can hear the naysayers &045; &uot;That’s great. How are you going to do it?&uot;

It’s certainly a valid question &045; but there is no easy answer, and those naysayers need to realize that.

There is no simple recipe for attracting industry, but officials have some ideas for the year ahead. They are planning a trip to Washington, D.C., to lobby the state’s Congressional delegation. County and city leaders also want to begin meeting on a regular basis with officials from surrounding counties and even locating land for a &uot;super site&uot; industrial park.

Determining the incentives &045; land, money or otherwise &045; that this area can provide to industrial prospects is one of the most essential steps we can take.

But a more essential step is actually providing those incentives.

We all know that certain aspects of our community &045; its location, for one thing &045; can knock us off the list for prospective companies.

But specific incentives can help keep us on the list.

Even with the limited financial resources that every community is dealing with right now, Natchez and Adams County need to develop a strategic plan to build up an incentive package for industries.