A week ago, on the heels of growing community momentum for attention to &uot;curb appeal,&uot; Natchez aldermen threw out at least a half-dozen questions and suggestions to city department heads.

That’s a start.

But true &uot;curb appeal&uot; &045; the attractiveness of our downtown and other areas of the city &045; won’t be achieved with haphazard attention.

We need strong leadership to direct the city’s public works and planning staffs with a systematic plan and an ultimate goal.

Take a look across the river, where Vidalia has been in the running for &uot;cleanest city&uot; in its division for several years.

It’s a topic Mayor Hyram Copeland enjoys discussing, even if he sheepishly admits to some neglect in that area.

But Vidalia aldermen just passed amendments to put some teeth in their enforcement of certain public works ordinances, so neglect isn’t really on their agenda.

It’s too easy to dismiss the need for true curb appeal &045; clean, well-managed streets, gutters, lighting and sidewalks, particularly downtown &045; by saying the city doesn’t have the money.

Other communities in worse financial shape have managed to reorganize their labor and their priorities to achieve a truly appealing downtown.

It might seem trivial in today’s times to bother with cleaning the sidewalks and gutters. But the city’s appearance projects everything about its attitude toward development, something we sorely need as we look to attract new industry and more tourists.

It’s time for city leadership to create a strategic plan for curb appeal &045; and to make it a priority for Natchez.