NATCHEZ &045; Supervisors plan to ask the area’s congressional delegation this week for funds to help improve the economy and public health of Adams County, board President Darryl Grennell said.

While in Washington, D.C., for a National Association of Counties conference, supervisors will meet with U.S. Rep. Chip Pickering, R-3rd District, and Sen. Thad Cochran and Sen. Trent Lott, both R-Miss.

Supervisors are set to leave for Washington today, with most returning in time for the board’s Monday meeting.

Supervisor Sammy Cauthen said the board will ask Pickering, Cochran and Lott about the status of $300,000 in federal money from Cochran’s discretionary fund for the Economic Development Authority.

&uot;At one time, we were getting it, but we just want to see if that’s still the case,&uot; Cauthen said.

Supervisors want to also make the case for expanding the federal Renewal Community designation that covers north Adams County to other industrial sites, Grennell said.

That would make those sites eligible for a number of tax credits and other incentives for producing jobs.

Supervisors will express their opposition to proposing changes in the Community Development Block Grant program, Cauthen said.

The changes, local officials have said, would put the program under a different federal department and might affect funding amounts.

Throughout the years, CDBG funds have been used for a variety of infrastructure and other needed projects locally.

But economic development and infrastructure won’t be the only topics of conversation.

Grennell said supervisors plan to ask the delegation whether federal help is available to help establish an AIDS prevention program in Adams County.

&uot;We don’t have that type of program in Adams County &045; in fact, Š in the whole area,&uot; Grennell said.