The patients in the room probably didn’t expect the matter-of-fact prescription doled out Tuesday at the Vidalia Conference and Convention Center.

No baby aspirins or vitamins were suggested, just a big dose of reality.

A few heads certainly perked up as Ronnie Bryant, the out-of-town expert brought in to talk about regionalism, spoke to a group of community leaders.

Within the first minute or two of Bryant’s presentation, all ears in the room realized Bryant wasn’t the sugarcoating type.

Working together, he said, is essential to survival.

“It’s the same as taking your medicine or not taking your medicine,” he said, pausing momentarily to let the patients consider the comparison. “What happens if you don’t take your medicine? You die.”

For a chamber of commerce meeting, Bryant’s message was rare. It wasn’t particularly glowing about the area, or even all that positive. He poked his finger at everyone in the room a bit.

The poke was needed because from an outsider’s perspective, it’s easy to see the issues facing our area.

The problem is, well, all of us. And, perhaps admitting that is the first step in solving the problem.

In short, Bryant said that it’s a no-brainer that our area not only should consider working together, but it’s a necessity for survival, he said.

But interestingly he threw the responsibility for making regionalism work not on the elected leaders in the room. Instead, he pointed to the business leaders in the room.

“The private sector has a substantial interest in what is going on,” Bryant said. “If you aren’t able to recruit new business into the community, it will continue to shrink.”

If you didn’t catch that last part, read his quote again.

A community that continues to shrink eventually will wither away to nothing and as that pie shrinks, there’s less for existing businesses to have, too.

No one wants that in our community, but it’s a very real possibility.

Most business leaders realize our government — collectively at least — isn’t capable of doing what needs to be done alone.

A few exceptions exist in which local leadership excels, but mostly our area seems more apt to elect complainers and road blockers than thinkers and doers.

At the moment, at least in Natchez and Adams County, our government is struggling with the basic concept of economic development. Expecting those same people to lead us into a new era of regionalism seems a bit ridiculous at best.

Bryant’s message was on target. Any real positive change must come from the private sector and will only occur when business leaders realize the only way to save the ship is working together to paddle in unison.

Tuesday’s meeting was a great first step with the Vidalia, Ferriday and Natchez chambers of commerce all at the same table.

It was suggested that all three groups consider combining into one larger, more powerful group. That’s probably a smart idea for all the communities involved.

As soon as a critical mass of businesses join together, set personal worries about competition aside and flex their unified muscles a bit, our community can begin moving some of the big “rocks” that currently block our path.

Maybe it was painful to hear the prognosis, but we’d be foolish patients if we ignored the common sense advice.

Kevin Cooper is publisher of The Natchez Democrat. He can be reached at 601-445-3539 or kevin.cooper@natchezdemocrat.com.