A few months into his term as Natchez mayor, Phillip West has begun to lay the groundwork for needed change in our community.

From his attention to the need for beautification and revitalization downtown to his focus on economic development and tourism, West has put some of the community’s most important issues on the front burner.

But so far during his term West has also made what we consider some mistakes &045; most notably the board of aldermen’s decision not to fund the Economic Development Authority for a full year and his own call for abolishing the Civil Service Commission.

That call came after the city’s controversial decision to rehire a police officer, a decision that caused two citizens to bring a lawsuit against West and the other board members.

Unfortunately, those serious missteps distract from the real issues our community faces, and they distract from the good work West has done so far as mayor.

He receives praise from a number of people who say one of his best attributes is, simply, that he listens to problems before making judgments. West doesn’t seem to mind where solutions come from &045; or whether he gets credit. He just wants what is best for Natchez.

West knows the potential Natchez has to become a more successful community. We believe he has the right attitude to make positive decisions for our future.

We also believe it is time to turn that attitude to action on the issues West &045; and our community &045; care most about: economic development, tourism, housing and beautification.

Already, with a committee in place to work on downtown revitalization and beautification, West has taken important steps toward the city’s goals. That committee seems to highlight one of West’s strengths as a leader: Gathering the people who can make a difference, and putting them to work.

We look forward to seeing more action like this &045; and fewer distractions from the work that will move our community into the future.