Ladies and gentlemen, if you live in the city limits of Natchez you should have a say in who is elected as the next “chairman of the board” of the city in which you hold partial ownership.

In a couple of weeks, voters in the municipal primary election will select the Democratic nominee to seek the office of Natchez mayor.

Selecting the next mayor is an important task and one that shouldn’t be taken lightly.

So what kind of person needs to be in that position?

We think the answer to that question is simple: a person with honesty, integrity, proven leadership and communication skills and a vision for the future.

Interestingly many citizens misunderstand the role of the mayor. The mayor in Natchez is not a dictatorship. In fact, the mayor’s most important job is simply managing the department heads.

Under Natchez city code, the board of aldermen, not the mayor, is in control of city government. But the mayor can bring a key factor to the table — vision.

A good mayor is driving with his mental high beams on, looking out past the short-term crisis of the day and setting the direction for the city, long-term.

Do you seek city-county consolidation or a new recreation complex?

Find out what the men seeking office think and see if one of them has opinions that mirror yours.

It’s your city. Get informed about the candidates and make a wise, informed choice on May 6.

Natchez needs a chairman of the board who will take the city to the next level.