NATCHEZ &045; Aldermen said Tuesday they are proud that Natchez native Andrew Smith chose to move back to his hometown to accept the city planner’s job.

Alderwoman Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis said she is proud to see someone with Smith’s skills and expertise moving back home.

&uot;You’ve got to love what you do,&uot; Alderman James &uot;Rickey&uot; Gray said. &uot;He loves planning and he loves Natchez.&uot;

Alderman Theodore &uot;Bubber&uot; West joined them in welcoming Smith, who served as the city’s code enforcement officer in the 1990s, back to city government.

He also joined them in criticizing a Sunday Natchez Democrat report that detailed both the praise former consulting clients had for Smith as well as Smith’s past financial difficulties and aldermen’s thoughts about his hire.

Alderman West called the article an attack on Mayor Phillip West’s administration.

Also during Tuesday’s Board of Aldermen meeting:

4Aldermen voted to fund, along with the Natchez-Adams School Board, two officers to serve as school resource officers.

Last year, the district had four of the officers, who patrol public school campuses while getting to know the students in a more positive way.

In past years the SROs were funded by a grant, but those funds expired at the end of last year.

District administrators and the school board wanted to continue having an officer presence in the buildings, but could only budget for two.

The city’s portion of the cost of the two officers will be $20,000 to $22,000, Police Chief Mike Mullins said.

4The board voted to accept maintenance responsibilities for and release the contracts for erosion control projects on Bluebird Drive and at Alcorn State University’s Natchez campus.

4The board voted to allow the City Engineering Department to buy a phone system from BellSouth as a sole-source provider.

4The board voted to rezone part of the Canal Street Depot site from business to residential for a planned condominium development on the site.

4Aldermen voted to reappoint Lee Edward Scott to the city’s Board of Examiners.