NATCHEZ &8212; City officials and representatives from New Orleans Hotel Consultants ironed out details of a proposed contract Wednesday, including employees and availability to residents.

In the proposed contract, the company would partially manage the convention center, city auditorium and community center.

The biggest issue at hand for several board members was to make sure the community can still use the facilities.

&8220;We must make sure the local community feels they have access to the facilities they won and are paying for,&8221; Mayor Phillip West said.

Representatives from the company said they agreed and would keep the fees for the city auditorium and community center the same as present for the next two years.

After two years, the contract terms are up for review, and prices may or may not go up depending on operation costs, the company representatives said.

Alderman James &8220;Ricky&8221; Gray said he did not like that the community center was included in the management deal, especially if fees to rent it increased.

He said his constituents had a difficult time paying the current fee of $500 for 10 hours and would not be able to pay any increases.

Also addressed was the issue of employees. Tourism Director Walter Tipton said some of the current convention center employees would stay with the city and some would be offered positions with the management company.

Hotel Consultants President Warren L. Reuther Jr. said no one would lose his job as a result of the possible privatization of the convention center.

Tipton said the center currently employs eight full-time employees and several other part-time and contract employees.

The city would pay the management company $240,000 per year, money that would go into a &8220;suppressed account&8221; and that would only be used to manage the facilities.

Attorney Walter Brown said he would address some of the requested wording changes in the proposed contract. He said he hoped to bring it before the board at its Tuesday meeting for approval.

New Orleans Hotel Consultants would also manage the hotel, soon to be constructed across Canal Street from the convention center.