NATCHEZ — Tennis and golf prices have been increased at Duncan Park for nonmembers.

The board of aldermen voted to increase green and golf cart fees by $2 and court fees by $1, effective Feb. 1.

For adults, it is now $16 per person to play the course and $14 per person to ride in a cart for nine or 18 holes.

For adults, the price to play tennis has been increased to $4 an hour per person.

These changes are not applicable to seasonal passes and youth.

Alderman Dan Dillard, who is the chair of the recreation committee, suggested the increase.

He said the extra revenue generated through the fee increases would help provide for a golf marshal program.

Dillard has stated in previous meetings that Duncan Park requires a golf marshal to ensure the game is being played fairly and legally. He said it is needed to keep with the general integrity of the game.

Dillard also said the extra revenue generated from the tennis court fee increase would go toward tennis court repairs.

Recreation Director Ralph Tedder said the membership fees will not change.

The motion passed unanimously.

In other business:

– City Clerk Donnie Holloway asked the board to advertise to banks for bids on a five-year loan to pay the remaining $650,000 of the overlay project.

The board voted unanimously to begin advertising.

– Warren Reuther, president of New Orleans Hotel Consultants, gave a presentation on the Natchez Convention Center.

New Orleans Hotel Consultants is the management group that manages the convention center, and Reuther said the management group has two goals for Natchez.

The first was to create jobs for Natchez, and the second was to generate revenue.

“I think we’ve accomplished both of those,” he said.”

From the Episcopal Diocese Meeting of Mississippi convention, with its 1,000 participants, to the Mississippi Police Chief Association convention, with 250 participants, Reuther said it’s been a good year.

And he said 2009 will be even better.

Reuther shared with the board projected numbers on events already booked for this year.

He said 39 events have been booked, which will bring in 14,140 participants and generate a total of approximately $7.3 million.

“We think it’s going to be close to $9 (million),” he said, however.

– Natchez Police Chief Mike Mullins showed the board crime rates for the past eight years.

The number of crimes has dropped from 1,486 to 873 a year in the past eight years including robbery, aggravated assault, larceny and vehicle theft.

Alderman James “Ricky” Gray — who requested Mullins compile the numbers — said he was pleased to see crime has gone down.

Gray said he would still like to get the crime prevention commission working together again.

He also made a motion to create a poverty committee to tackle issues of dilapidated housing and infrastructure problems.

The motion passed.

-Alderman Bob Pollard commended the fire department for its response to the downtown fire Thursday.

Pollard said he wanted to dispel some rumors that it took the fire department 30 minutes to respond.

Pollard had the recorded response time from the fire department, and he said it was only two minutes.