Poor timing, poor planning, or both, flubbed the first few moves on the management of a new $2 per night hotel tax revenue.

But the system can still work if the groups involved make a concerted effort to work together.

It’s unfortunate that the new citizens’ advisory committee walked into a bad deal.

The proponents of the tax — certain private segments of the tourism industry and the Natchez Convention Promotion Commission — have hamstrung the advisory committee in two ways.

First, the advisory committee — which is responsible for providing marketing recommendations to the Natchez Convention Promotion Commission — was formed too late to do its first job adequately.

Some of the committee members didn’t receive notice that they were officially on the advisory committee until the very end of July.

The law required that a marketing plan be in place Aug. 1, but the first time the advisory committee could be formed and meet was Aug. 4.

So the committee was forced to turn in the preliminary plan created by tax’s proponents until a “real” plan can be created later this month.

Second, in an effort to push the tax through the June election, a large misconception has been planted in many minds, a misconception that is easily lost unless you read the law carefully.

Despite what many people think, the advisory committee does not have ultimate say over how the money is spent; the Natchez Convention Promotion Commission does. The advisory committee, however, can make a huge impact by holding the CPC’s feet to the fire when and if they deviate from the marketing plans the advisory committee recommends.

With the future of the city’s tourism marketing and at least half a million dollars in new tax money on the line, our community cannot afford further flubs on this issue.