NATCHEZ &045;&045; Well-wishers gathered Wednesday evening at the Natchez Convention Center for a reception in honor of Mayor F.L. &uot;Hank&uot; Smith, who will leave office July 1 after four years in office.

A cross-section of city officials and other supporters said Smith will best be remembered for keeping a tight rein on fiscal matters in tough times.

&uot;It was just in the paper today that the city had its first clean audit in years,&uot; Anne Allmand said, referring to an auditor’s report released Tuesday that showed no substantial findings against the city.

&uot;So Hank has certainly done that. And he’s done a lot more that he hasn’t gotten credit for.&uot;

&uot;Another thing he’ll be remembered for is for the budget being balanced,&uot; Peggy Sandel said. &uot;He’s done a lot of work. And we’re glad he had his chance.&uot;

City Attorney Walter Brown also noted that Smith will be known &uot;for his steadfast adherence to a balanced budget, as well as for his involvement in the restructuring of the EDA.&uot;

Tourism Director Walter Tipton said Smith has also been a good ambassador for Natchez.

&uot;I’ve invited him to any number of events, and he did an excellent job of inviting them to our town,&uot; Tipton said.

Tipton also said that while the area has experienced hard economic times, those tough times have been a reality for mayors throughout the nation, not just in Natchez.

During Wednesday’s reception, other city officials presented Smith with a silver engraved tray and a framed Natchez flag.

But to Smith, the presence of so many supporters seemed to mean just as much. &uot;It means a lot to see all these people here,&uot; Smith said.

Smith said not a day went by during his administration that he didn’t truly enjoy his job as mayor, a position he said was both &uot;an honor and a privilege.&uot;

He thanked his wife, Jackie, for her understanding and thanked the city’s department heads for their hard work. And he pledged to give Mayor-Elect Phillip West his support and advice.