Things are looking up for the port authority these days, and they have the numbers to prove it.

CPA Billy Gillon presented the audit for the Natchez-Adams County Port to the county supervisors Thursday.

“The port had an unusual year this year,” Gillon said. “The unusual aspect was they had an operating profit.”

For the first time in years, the port is making a profit and giving back to the county, Executive Port Director Anthony Hauer said.

In the past, the county has contributed money to the port to help offset bad years, Gillon said. For example, in fiscal year 2005, the county gave the port about $90,000.

This year, the port gave the county a check for $50,000.

In the past, when the port has turned a profit, they’ve been able to provide money back to the county, Gillon said.

“It’s been four or five years since they’ve been able to do that,” Gillon said.

Revenue is up because of sheer volume of business, he said. Hurricane Katrina played a hand in increasing business, as did other events upstream, he said.

But because of one-time events like Katrina, the increase in revenue may or may not continue, Gillon said.

“They’ve also had new business,” he said. “If they can sustain that,” the port will continue to make a profit.

Supervisor Henry Watts pointed out that a $3 million debt for the port’s new dock facility was in the county’s name.

In the past, the port has paid the county money to go toward paying off that debt.

“The port hasn’t been paying because it hasn’t had any money to do that,” Gillon said. But the port will make payments as it makes money in the future, Hauer said.

“Every year, it’s getting better, and based on our projections, we are hoping to send in payments to pay toward that debt,” Hauer said. “As we get money, it’s not our intention to spend that money. We plan to retire that debt. We haven’t forgotten about it, we just haven’t had money to pay it off.”

In other business:

Carolyn Saucier requested the city change the records to indicate where a particular county road ended. County Attorney Bob Latham said the county road manager had already visited the site and had made a determination. Latham said chancery court would probably be her next recourse.

The board approved $28,688 to help fund programs through the Mississippi State Extension Service. County Administrator Cathy Walker said she would research how much of that money would come out of the county’s budget and how much came from other sources.

Supervisor S.E. “Spanky” Felter said he thought the subject of vicious and nuisance dogs should be addressed again. A county animal ordinance was tabled this summer until it was determined if the state legislature would address the subject. Felter said he thought the ordinance should address vicious and nuisance animals only.

“I don’t want a leash law,” Felter said.

Latham said an ordinance had to be written so it would hold up in a court of law.

“The problem is with the definition (of nuisance and vicious),” Latham said. “If we write an ordinance that’s vague, it’s not enforceable.”

Supervisors President Darryl Grennell said the board would “pull out the draft and put it on the table again.”