NATCHEZ &045; A day after a sometimes contentious meeting about economic development, some aldermen said they are not ready to give up on funding the Natchez-Adams Economic Development Authority.

&uot;To some level we will participate,&uot; Alderman Theodore &uot;Bubber&uot; West said. &uot;We are all for the EDA; they do a tremendous job. But something’s not working.&uot;

On Wednesday, city officials told county supervisors they want to see the $100,000 they currently give to the EDA spent on community development &045; whether that’s spent on someone on the EDA staff or spent on hiring the city’s own community development director.

The county and city jointly fund the EDA.

Alderman David Massey said Thursday he is willing to continue funding the EDA if the authority’s board members will consider to the city’s concerns.

&uot;I thought (the EDA’s plea) was an impassioned one,&uot; said Massey, who will push aldermen to make a decision on funding at their meeting Tuesday.

Alderman Rickey Gray said the city is not trying to dissolve the EDA.

&uot;What the mayor wanted to do was get a person on the EDA staff to work toward community development,&uot; Gray said. &uot;We’re not for getting rid of the EDA.&uot;

Gray said he doesn’t believe aldermen want to stop funding the EDA but instead want to &uot;restructure the money.&uot;

The legislation that created the EDA does not require the city or the county to contribute funding to it. But the legislation does say that money &uot;shall be unrestricted by the appropriating entity.&uot;

City leaders want their money spent mainly on community development. Wednesday, Mayor Phillip West said that might mean projects such as infrastructure improvements or downtown revitalization.

Massey said he would like to see the EDA focus on projects inside the city, such as recruiting a hotel for the site near the convention center.

Alderman West said he would like to see small businesses grow in Natchez. And he said he considers community development to include quality of life issues as well, such as entertainment and restaurant districts.

But Alderman Jake Middleton, said he is against setting up another entity to work on economic or community development.

&uot;I think we have the people in place to do what we need to do,&uot; he said. &uot;I don’t want to see us take any money away from economic development.&uot;

The city can’t really afford to look at community development until more companies bring jobs to Natchez, he said.

&uot;You get the jobs here, then you start doing some of those things,&uot; he said.

West said he wants the city to be successful in both economic and community development &045; but it’s not that easy.

&uot;How can we be strong in both areas with a small pile of money?&uot; he said.

Massey said the EDA needs a decision from the city quickly, especially since it is looking for a new director.

&uot;We can’t tarry on this,&uot; Massey said. &uot;I don’t want to let a good person get away. I’m going to encourage the board to make a decision on this Tuesday.&uot;