NATCHEZ &045;&045; A standing room only crowd that forced hotel workers to open an additional room heard all three mayoral candidates say they would work to bring industry to town, promote tourism and support the school district if elected.

Richard Branyan-I, Sue Stedman-R and Philip West-D were each given time to introduce their platform before answering sets of scripted questions on economic development, tourism and education.

Branyan stressed his experience as a businessman in Natchez who knew the tourism industry well.

&uot;Our government needs to be people friendly,&uot; Branyan said. &uot;I would do a very good job as mayor, I love this community.&uot;

Stedman said it was the mayor’s job to set the course for Natchez.

&uot;The mayor is the city’s first impression, the first point of contact,&uot; she said. &uot;You don’t need more pie in the sky promises, you need a person who will buckle down and go to work with anyone and everyone.&uot;

West used his opening time to dispel some rumors he said were circulating. He said he was not anti-tourism, was not for raising taxes and was not a racist. If electe, mayor he will not continue to be a legislator.

&uot;I’ve always practiced what I preach in Natchez,&uot; he said.

Branyan said he was ready to bring new ideas to the table to address economic development in Natchez.

&uot;We need a diverse economy. We need jobs now,&uot; he said. &uot;We need to turn around the job situation in Natchez, and I intend to make that happen.&uot;

Branyan said he felt the tourism industry was essential to Natchez and wanted to bring in outside influence to improve the way the town promotes itself around the country.

Stedman said her number one concern was the lack of viable employment and in turn creating new jobs was the number one goal.

&uot;I have connections at the state level that can open doors for Natchez,&uot; she said. &uot;I care. I care about what happens here.&uot;

Steadman said the mayor’s role in the economic development team was to always be on alert for new possibilities and to help finalize the deal.

West also said he had contacts made while in the legislature that would be beneficial to Natchez.

&uot;I have been involved with economic development in this community for the last 24 years,&uot; he said. &uot;It takes personal relationships to make things happen.&uot;

Steadman and West agreed with Branyan that tourism was important to Natchez.

&uot;I’m glad we’ve got it,&uot; West said. &uot;I love it, I love anything that makes us a proud community.&uot;

Steadman said she was very open to taking advice and working with a tourism consultant.

&uot;Tourism has kept the bottom from falling out from under us,&uot; she said. &uot;It is a very important part of our economic development.&uot;

All three candidates acknowledged the school district was an essential part of improving Natchez as a whole.

Branyan said he had been a fan of the neighborhood school idea and would work with the new superintendent for new ideas.

Steadman said she attended and supported public schools.

&uot;I’d like to see more of this community feel like they can participate in them,&uot; she said. &uot;We are not a perfect school system. It takes community involvement.&uot;

West said the mayor must be a partner with the school district.

&uot;We must think out of the box,&uot; he said. &uot;Everything we have could stand some improvement. With four or five superintendents in 13 years, we don’t have enough stability.&uot;

The general election will be on June 8.